LIBRARY UF CONGRESS, 

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Shelf^VO. 



UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. 



THE WAY 



-OF- 



SALVATION. 



Being a series of short articles on sub- 
jects pertaining to Salvation as 
revealed in the Word of God. 



-BY- 



D. L. WILLIAMS. 



M 



"But the salvation of the righteous is of the Lord: he is their strength 
in the time of trouble." Ps. xxxvii : 39. 



nashville, tenn. : 
Gospel. Advocate Publishing Co. 
1892. 






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Copyright, 1892, 
By D. L. Wiijjams. 



PREFATORY REMARKS. 



A LTHOUGH an honest investigation on the subject of salva- 
'^^ tion is a matter in which all believers in God's revealed will, 
doubtless, feel more or less interest, yet in consideration of the 
fact that many able Christian preachers have labored quite 
extensively in the cause of their Master — setting forth the 
truth as it is revealed in the gospel of Christ, it may be deemed 
by some, as being presumptuous in me to attempt to add any- 
thing on this subject, with a view to benefiting anyone. But 
we should also consider the fact, that all good preachers insist 
that all accountable beings to God should study the Bible for 
themselves, and act for themselves, regardless of humanly de- 
vised theories. This being true, we decide that, if we have been 
led to take their advice, we are fully justified in giving to the 
reading public, the result of our investigations. 

If the following little work fails to accomplish that which is 
claimed as the title indicates, it ought to die. But, if it is found 
to be sustained by the divine teachings, we trust it may live to 
aid in support of divine truth, and benefit a few at least of the 
many who desire information regarding their eternal salvation. 

If in our investigations we oppose the views of any reader, 
we trust he will not become offended. We have written many 
things contrary to our own past notions of what it takes to 
constitute acceptable service to God, and the only consistent 
course for us to pursue, is to accept the plain teachings of God's 
word, confide in his promises, and leave the final result with 
him. Author. 

(v) 



©©NTENTS. 

CHAPTER I. 
God's Revealed Will to Man 9-20 

CHAPTER II. 
The Two Covenants 21-35 

CHAPTER III. 
Salvation From the Penalty of Adam's Sin 36-45 

CHAPTER IV. 
The Church the Divinely Appointed Means of Salvation.. 46-61 

CHAPTER V. 
The Blood of Christ 62-68 

CHAPTER VI. 
Salvation by Grace 69-74 

CHAPTER VII. 
Grace in the Heart 75-78 

CHAPTER VIII. 
Orders of Worship 79-98 

CHAPTER IX. 
Justification by Faith 99-107 

CHAPTER X. 
The Faith of God 108-114 

CHAPTER XI. 
Repentance 115-117 

CHAPTER XII. 
Confession 118-121 

(vii) 



Till CONTENTS. 

CHAPTER XIII. 
The Faith of Abraham 122-141 

CHAPTER XIV. 
Heirs of God by Adoption 142-156 

CHAPTER XV. 
How to Avoid Apostasy 157-173 

CHAPTER XVI. 
Operation of the Spirit 174-188 

CHAPTER XVII. 
Servants of Sin and Servants of Righteousness 189-197 

CHAPTER XVIII. 
The Goodness and Severity of God 198-207 

CHAPTER XIX. 
Prayer 208-224 

CHAPTER XX. 
Hope of the Christian 225-233 

CHAPTER XXI. 
The Final Judgment 234-241 

CHAPTER XXII. 
Conclusion 242-262 



The Way Of Salvation. 



CHAPTER I. 



god's revealed will to man. 

WE presume it will be conceded by all who 
believe the Bible to be God's revealed 
will to man, that a knowledge of the way of 
salvation is of the highest importance to man- 
kind. It is essential to the happiness of all 
human beings in this life and in the life to come. 
The enjoyment of life in any age depends upon 
the state of civilization. The highest state of 
civilization that can be reached by man, is based 
upon the directions of the divine standard. But 
this divine standard cannot be used as a basis 
for civilization without a knowledge of its teach- 
ings. It w T ill add nothing to our happiness sim- 
ply to claim to believe in its teachings, without 
a knowledge of them. Hence the importance 
of studying the word of God is readily seen. 
But in considering the above facts, we are led 
to the thought, that it is surpassingly strange, 
so many persons living under the light of the 
gospel of Christ, neglect one of the most im- 
portant duties devolving upon them in this life. 
Every person should study the revealed will of 
God, with a view to knowing just what it con- 

9 



10 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

tains. They should study it in order to learn 
just what God requires of them, what he has 
promised them, and the conditions upon which 
the promises are made. The} 7 should study it 
for themselves, and not depend altogether upon 
others, as many do, to teach them their duty to 
God. A failure to study the word of God with a 
proper motive creates division ; division creates 
parties, and parties create confusion and strife. 
Hence, we find the civilized world teeming- with 
religious creeds and parties warring* one ag'ainst 
the other, each claiming to be right, and claim- 
ing to be guided by the same book. Such work 
is detrimental to the cause of Christianity, and 
is daily food for skeptics. How can such con- 
fusion be avoided? We answer, it cannot be 
avoided so long as men differ so widely with 
reference to what it takes to constitute accept- 
able service to God. But if all will measure 
their claims by the divine standard, study it 
with the same confidence in what it teaches that 
they have in man}' other histories, man}' con- 
flicting theories of worship will cease to exist, 
and the church of God will be exalted rather 
than debased. 

We understand the Bible to contain all that 
is revealed to man with reference to salvation. 
This being true, all the instructions necessary 
to a knowledge of the way of salvation may be 
obtained from the holy scriptures. They were 



god's revealed will to man. 11 

commended by Paul in his epistle to Timothy 
as follows : ' 'But continue thou in the thing's 
which thou hast learned and hast been assured 
of, knowing - of whom thou hast learned them; 
and that from a child thou hast known the holy 
scriptures, which are able to make thee wise 
unto salvation throug-h faith which is in Christ 

Jesus." 2 Tim. iii: 14, 15. 

From the above we learn that a knowledge 
of the holy scriptures is wisdom unto salvation. 
But we understand that there is but one way 
of salvation revealed to man ; hence any wis- 
dom not derived from a knowledg-e of the holy 
scriptures will not lead unto salvation. 

Paul further states, that "All scripture is 
g-iven by inspiration of God, and is profitable 
for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for in- 
struction in righteousness : that the man of God 
may be perfect, thoroug-hly furnished unto all 
g-ood works." 16th and 17th verses. 

In view of the- above facts, it is quite evident 
that salvation from sin is procured only throug-h 
a knowledg-e of, and in obedience to, God's ex- 
isting" law of inspiration revealed to man, which 
is the g-ospel of Christ. True faith in Christ 
comes only throug-h a knowledg-e of his g-ospel. 
A faith predicated upon a false theory may be 
imbibed by persons who refuse to study the 
word of God. It is, therefore, the duty of all 
who claim to be worshipers of God to examine 



12 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

themselves whether they be in the faith. They 
should measure their faith by the divine stand- 
ard. This is the only gfuide by which to be 
directed into everlasting - life. 

The holy scriptures are divided into what are 
known as the Old and New Testaments. The 
Old Testament is composed of history, law and 
prophecy, including* instructions in righteous- 
ness, admonitions, etc. In this Testament we 
have the history of creation, of the g*arden of 
Eden, of the fall of man, of the flood, of the 
Tower of Babel, of Abraham's call, of his 
journey into a strangle land, of the life of Jo- 
seph, of the bondag-e of the children of Israel 
in Eg-ypt, of their deliverance through Moses, 
who was appointed and directed by the power 
of God, and of their travels in the wilderness 
unto the land of promise. We find the law of 
God, as revealed unto them, by which they 
were to be governed, and many instructions by 
which they were led to obey God. In this Tes- 
tament we find many prophecies concerning- the 
great blessing's that were to be revealed and 
enjoyed in the future. 

The New Testament is also composed of his- 
tory, law and prophecy, including* many admo- 
nitions and instructions in rigfhteousness to all 
who are required to worship God under the 
gx>spel dispensation. In the books of Matthew, 
Mark, Luke, and John, we have the history of 



god's revealed will, to man. 13 

John the Baptist, who was a prophet sent from 
God, and whose mission was to prepare the 
way of the Lord by making* ready a people to 
receive the glad tiding-s of salvation which was 
at hand and ready to be revealed to the world 
according - to the promise of God. "In those 
days came John the Baptist, preaching- in the 
wilderness of Judea, and saying - , Repent ye : 
for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this 
is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias, 
saying - , The voice of one crying- in the wilder- 
ness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his 
paths straig-ht." .... " Then went out 
to him Jerusalem, and all Judea, and all the 
reg-ion round about Jordan, and were baptized 
of him in Jordan, confessing- their sins." Matt, 
iii: 1-6. Hence, John's mission was not to es- 
tablish the king-dom which he preached, but it 
was to make ready a people prepared to receive 
it, when it should be established throug-h the 
true Ivig-ht. John was not that Light, but was 
sent to bear witness of that Lig-ht. See John 
i: 6-9. In these books we have the history of the 
birth of Christ, the only beg-otten Son of God, 
who is that Lig"ht which was to come, of his 
life and ministry, of his death, burial and res- 
urrection, and of his directions to his followers. 
In the book of the Acts of the Apostles, we 
have a history of the establishment of his 
church after his ascension to the Father. We 



14 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

have his law of induction into his church, and the 
law by which the members are to be governed. 
Then follow the letters of advice and encour- 
agement to the various congregations compos- 
ing the body of Christ on earth. After which 
we have "The Revelation of Jesus Christ, 
which God gave unto him, to show unto his 
servants things which must shortly come to 
pass ; and he sent and signified it by his angel 
unto his servant John ; who bare record of the 
word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus 
Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed 
is he that readeth, and they that hear the 
words of this prophecy, and keep those things 
which are written therein : for the time is at 

hand." Rev. i: 1-3. 

By reading the words of this prophecy we 
learn that it is necessary to overcome evil in 
order to receive everlasting life. See 2d and 
3d chapters. We learn that it is necessary to 
do the commandments of God in order to have 
right to the tree of life and enter in through 
the gates into the city. See 22d chapter, 14th 
verse. And in the 7th verse we have the fol- 
lowing : "Behold, I come quickly: blessed is 
he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of 
this book. ' ' But as the sayings of the prophecy 
of this book require obedience to God's law, and 
as his law is the gospel of Christ, it is evident 
that those who refuse to obey the gospel of 
Christ fail to keep the sayings of the prophecy 



god's revealed will to man. 15 

of this book. If any man teach that salvation 
from sin is obtained without obeying- the law of 
God ordained to this purpose, he takes away 
from the words of the book of this prophecy. 
"And if any man shall take away from the 
words of the book of this prophecy, God shall 
take away his part out of the book of life, and 
out of the holy city, and /row the thing's which 
are written in this book." 19th verse. 

Now, in view of the above facts, it is quite 
evident that all responsible being's to God should 
carefully study his revealed will to them, and 
confine themselves to its requirements. They 
have no promise of a blessing* for any worship 
that is contrary to the teaching's of the gx>spel 
of Christ. There are various classes of wor- 
shipers who are devoted to the cause they ad- 
vocate, and earnestly strive to exalt their theory 
of worship. Many kind and benevolent persons 
may be found among - all these classes. They per- 
form many deeds of kindness in their liberality 
toward those who stand in need of assistance, 
which is God's order when performed as he has 
directed. His blessing's will surely rest upon 
them in their work, when performed in this 
manner. But in view of the fact that many 
persons perform many deeds of kindness while 
in a state of rebellion against God, it is quite 
evident that a person may perform many g-ood 
deeds in this life in a manner that they will fail 
to receive the blessing- promised, because they 
fail to perform the work as God has directed. 



16 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

When Moses brought forth the water of Meri- 
bah from the rock in Kadesh, he performed an 
act which God required of him, and in this act 
his people received a blessing* ; yet Moses did 
not perform -this act in the manner in which 
God had directed, and for this act of rebellion 
he was not permitted to enter the land given 
unto the children of Israel. "And the Lord 
said unto Moses, Get thee up into this mount 
Abarim, and see the land which I have given 
unto the children of Israel. And when thou 
hast seen it thou shalt be gathered unto thy 
people, as Aaron thy brother was gathered. 
For ye rebelled against my commandment in 
the desert of Z'm, in the strife of the congrega- 
tion, to sanctif} r me at the water before their 
eyes : that is the water of Meribah in Kadesh 
in the wilderness of Zin." Num. xxvii: 12-14. 
See 20th chapter. 

In view of the above fact, we conclude that 
it is necessary to obey God as he directs in order 
to secure his blessings. Then how important 
to study the word of God in order to know what 
he requires us to do and how it is to be done. 

In the following work we desire to impress 
upon the mind of the reader the importance of 
searching the scriptures in order to know the 
will of God with reference to salvation. Jesus 
said upon one occasion to the unbelieving Jews : 
"Search the scriptures; for in them ye think 
ye have eternal life : and they are they which 
testify of me." John v: 39. 



GOD'S REVEALED WIIvIv to man. 17 

In our investigations we also desire to place 
before the mind of the reader, the place where 
God has recorded his name and blessing's, and 
the way to reach them. And in order to accom- 
plish our task, it is necessary that we confine 
ourselves to reason and the revelation of God 3 
regardless of any theory to the contrary, 
although it may be earnestly advocated by many 
kind friends. A knowledge of the way of sal- 
vation, as revealed in the holy scriptures, must 
be received into honest and good hearts, that 
they may be purified by faith. By this we 
understand that the mind must be fully pre- 
pared to receive the teachings of God's word, 
although they may condemn some cherished 
theory that may have been imbibed through the 
influence of man. 

We understand that the leading, or primary 
object of God's dealings with man, is to bring 
him to perfect obedience to his divine law. Man 
was created for the purpose of honoring his crea- 
tor by rendering implicit obedience to his will, 
and not for the purpose of sinning against him, 
and then obeying law simply to receive a bless- 
ing. When he was created, he received the law 
of God, and implicit obedience to this law was 
required, and there was no law of pardon con- 
nected with it ; for he violated the law and was 
expelled from his first estate. We therefore con- 
2 



18 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

elude that the nature of obedience to this law 
given to man in his primitive state, was similar 
to that of angels. 

After man fell from his primitive state of 
purity, God devised a means for his redemption, 
that he mig-ht be restored to the privilege of 
serving him, but not to the privilege of dis- 
honoring him by refusing to obey his laws 
with impunity. But, as perfect obedience is 
the primary object of God's dealings with man, 
and, as man became a sinful being*, wholly 
incompetent to render such obedience, a media- 
tor became necessary between God and man, 
which was given in Christ, and a law of pardon 
was instituted to meet the requirements of the 
weakness or inabilities of man. Had it not been 
for this merciful act, all humanity would have 
been forever banished from the presence of God 
and his holy angels, because of the offense of 
Adam. Hence we find the promise of salva- 
tion throug'h Christ made prominent in connec- 
tion with the law of God, as revealed to man. 

Faith in God and his promises, is the legiti- 
mate source of encouragement that prompts 
mankind to obey him. While persons should 
endeavor to obey the law of God, and should do 
so with a desire to honor him as their creator 
and preserver, yet it is quite evident that his 
promises are valid inducements to acceptable 



god's revealed will to man. 19 

obedience to his law, and that faith in his prom- 
ises is made necessary to such obedience. 

It is his promise with reference to the salva- 
tion of poor fallen man, that testifies to his love 
for them, and it is his love that constrains us to 
honor him. "For the love of Christ constrain- 
eth us; because we thus judge, that if one died 
for all, then were all dead: And that he died 
for all, that they which live should not hence- 
forth live unto themselves, but unto him which 
died for them, and rose again." 2 Cor. v: 14,15. 
"Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as 
though God did beseech you by us: we pray you 
in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. For 
he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no 
sin; that we might be made the righteousness 
of God in him." 20, 21. Hence Christ became 
mediator between God and man, by which man's 
obedience is made acceptable and counted unto 
him for righteousness. "Having, therefore, 
these promises, dearly beloved, let us cleanse 
ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and 
spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God." 
vi. 1. We therefore conclude that it is neces- 
sary to obey the laws of God with a desire to 
honor him, and with full faith in his promises. 

Viewing the subject of salvation in this light, 
we are unable to decide that a person may ac- 
ceptably obey any requirement of God's law 



20 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

as revealed in the gospel of Christ, in the ab- 
sence of either of the above purposes. Both 
are explicit requirements of God, connected 
with acceptable obedience. Salvation from sin 
and salvation in heaven are promised in obedience 
to law through faith made acceptable by the 
blood of Christ. Hence, works without faith 
are dead; and as hope depends upon faith, obe- 
dience without faith is without a hope. But 
faith without works is dead also. Hence a hope 
of eternal salvation predicated upon faith with- 
out works is vain. It is evident, therefore, that 
true hope is predicated upon faith which work- 
eth by love, and is made sure and steadfast by 
the promise of salvation through the blood of 
Christ 

We now kindly invite the attention of the 
reader to the following investigations. 



CHAPTER II. 



THE TWO COVENANTS. 

THERE are two fundamental doctrines 
taught in the world with reference to sal- 
vation from sin : 

1. Salvation or justification from sin by faith 
made perfect by works, by which is meant that 
sinners are made free from sin by the interces- 
sion of Christ on the condition of obedience to 
law throug-h faith. 

2. Salvation or justification from sin by faith 
without works, which is also called justifica- 
tion by faith only, by which is meant that sin- 
ners are made free from sin through faith inde- 
pendent of obedience to law or works. 

Therefore the advocates of both doctrines 
agree with reference to salvation depending- 
upon the intercession of Christ, but differ re- 
specting- the conditions upon which Christ saves. 

Now it is evident that both of the above doc- 
trines cannot be true. And in order to know T the 
truth with reference to this matter, it is neces- 
sary to study the revealed will of God and 
abide by its directions. 

21 



22 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

We learn that the nature of the Jewish cov- 
enant was such that implicit obedience to all 
the requirements of the law was necessary to 
the enjoyment of the blessing's promised. Moses, 
when exhorting- the Israelites respecting- their 
duties to God, said: "All the commandments 
which I command thee this day shall ye observe 
to do, that ye may live, and multiply, and g*o in 
and possess the land which the Lord sware unto 
your fathers." Deut. viii : 1. "Beware that 
thou forget not the Lord thy God in not keep- 
ing- his commandments, and his judg-ments, and 
his statutes, which I command thee this day." 
11th verse. "And it shall be, if thou do at all 
forg-et the Lord thy God, and walk after other 
g-ods, and serve them, and worship them, I tes- 
tify ag-ainst you this day that ye shall surely 
perish." 19th verse. 

From the above it is readily seen that God 
required implicit obedience to his commands in 
order to the reception of his blessing-s under the 
Jewish covenant. 

But it is equally as necessary to obey the laws 
of God under the new covenant as it was to 
obey the laws of the Jewish covenant. James 
said : ' ' But whoso looketh into the perfect law 
of liberty, and continueth therein, he being- not 
a forg-etful hearer, but a doer of the work, this 
man shall be blessed in his deed." James i: 25. 



THE} TWO COVENANTS. 23 

Hence the redemption that is in Christ does not 
release man from the necessity of obedience to 
law in order to salvation, but releases him from 
serving - under one covenant (Jewish), and binds 
him to the requirements of another, which is 
the perfect law of liberty (gospel). 

But it may be asked, "If the Jewish covenant 
was God's law to man, why the necessity of a 
chang*e of the law? 

"For the priesthood being* changed, there is 
made of necessity a change of the law." Heb. 
vii: 12. Jesus was ' ' made a high priest for ever 
after the order of Melchisedec. " See Heb. vi: 
20. It appears that Christ, the great high 
priest, was represented in the time of Abraham 
in the person of Melchisedec. He was a king* 
and also a priest of God. His descent was not 
counted from the sons of Levi, who g*ave attend- 
ance at the altar of the Jewish tabernacle, for 
he is described as being ' ' without father, with- 
out mother, without descent, having neither 
beginning of days nor ending of life, but made 
like unto the Son of God, abideth a priest con- 
tinually." Heb. vii: 3. 

From this we conclude that Christ was rep- 
resented in the person of Melchisedec all along 
the line, apart from the Jewish covenant, which 
"was added because of transgressions, till the 
seed (Christ) should come, to whom the promise 



24 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

was made," after which he became high priest 
after the order of Melchisedec, and not after 
the order of Aaron. But the Levitical priest- 
hood, which was after the order of Aaron, was 
a type of Christ also ; for those priests offered 
sacrifices that set aside the sins of the people 
and their own sins until Christ, when he bore 
them away upon the cross. It is evident, there- 
fore, that Christ was represented by two orders 
of priests, which typified the intercession of 
Christ for the sins of the whole world. 

But why the necessity of a change of the 
priesthood ? 

Because the law under the Levitical priest- 
hood could not give life ; ' ' for, if there had been 
a law given which could have given life, verily 
righteousness should have been by the law." 
See Gal. iii: 21. "For the law [of Moses] having 
a shadow of good things to come, and not the 
very image of the things, can never, with those 
sacrifices which they offered year by year con- 
tinually, make the comers thereunto perfect." 
Heb. x: 1. "And every priest standeth daily 
ministering and offering sacrifices, which can 
never take away sins. 11th verse. 

Why could not the law of Moses give life? 
Paul said: " For as many as are of the works 
of the law are under the curse; for it is writ- 
ten, Cursed is every one that continueth not in 



THE TWO COVENANTS. 25 

all thing's which are written in the book of the 
law to do them. But that no man is justified 
by the law in the. sight of God, it is evident; 
for the just shall live by faith." Gal. iii: 10, 
11. By which is meant the faith of the g'ospel. 

What was the nature of the law of Moses 
which deprived the sinner of being - justified 
by it? 

In order to explain this it is necessary to note 
the condition of man after the fall. Paul said: 
"For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) 
dwelleth no good thing*: for to will is present 
with me; but how to perform that which is 
good, I find not. For the good that I would, I 
do not: but the evil which I would not, that I 
do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more 
I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me. 

"I find then a law, that when I would do 
good evil is present with me. For I delig*ht 
in the law of God, after the inward man, but I 
see another law in my members warring* against 
the law of my mind, and bringing - me into cap- 
tivity to the law of sin which is in my mem- 
bers." Rom. vii: 18-23. 

From this we learn that there are two con- 
trolling elements or principles in man, one war- 
ring against the other. One is inclined to evil, 
the other to that which is good. Paul describes 
the former as belonging to the flesh or mem- 



26 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

bers, and the latter as belonging* only to the 
mind. This principle of the flesh, or members, is 
alsocalled "the law of sin," the "carnal mind," 
etc. No person can serve God with the carnal 
mind, "Because the carnal mind is enmity 
against God: for it is not subject to the law of 
God, neither indeed can be." Rom. viii: 7. 
But Paul also said: "So, then, with the mind 
I myself serve the law of God." See Rom. 
vii: 25. We do not understand the above to 
teach that two distinct minds exist in man, but 
when the desire to do evil controls the mind it 
becomes the carnal mind, and when the desire 
to do good controls the mind it becomes the 
spiritual mind, which is clearty shown by the 
following - : "For to be carnally minded is death; 
but to be spiritually minded is life and peace." 
Rom. viii: 6. 

Now, it is evident that the conclusion of this 
matter is, that the principles of good and evil 
exist in man; that they are warring" one against 
the other, each striving - to possess full control 
of the mind; and in order to be free from sin 
the mind must be controlled by the principle 
which tends to that which is good to the exclu- 
sion of that which is evil. Hence, when the 
sinner accepts that which is good and accept- 
able in the sight of the Lord, and serves him 
with the mind, he is made free from sin. 



THE TWO COVENANTS. 27 

But we understand that the nature of the law 
of Moses was such that no person who pos- 
sessed the sinful nature of carnality could be 
justified by it; and as this sinful flesh could not 
be made subject to the law of God, it was im- 
possible for the Jews to bear the yoke that was 
put upon them. Hence the great necessity of 
the Son of God coming- in the likeness of sinful 
flesh, and condemning' this sin in the flesh. 
4 'For what the law could not do, in that it was 
weak through the flesh, God sending - his own 
Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, 
condemned sin in the flesh." Rom. viii: 3. 
Hence Christ condemned sin in the flesh, by 
which we understand that he fully satisfied the 
law for man with reference to the sin of the 
flesh, by which he made the way possible for 
man in sinful flesh to be justified in the sigmt of 
God in obedience to law. 

Paul said: "O wretched man that I am! who 
shall deliver me from the body of this death? I 
thank God througm Jesus Christ our Lord. So 
then, with the mind I myself serve the law of 
God, but with the flesh the law of sin." Rom. 
vii: 24, 25. 

Christ did for man that which man could not 
do for himself. He fully satisfied the demands 
of the law of God for man, and placed him un- 
der a law, in obedience to which the rig-hteous- 



28 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

ness of the law might be fulfilled in man. For 
he condemned sin in the flesh "that the right- 
eousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, 
who walk not after the flesh, but after the 
Spirit." Rom. viii: 4. 

How is the righteousness of the law of God 
fulfilled in us? 

Christ fulfilled the law for us, and his right- 
eousness is counted unto us all who walk after 
the Spirit. 

How do we walk after the Spirit? 

By following the directions of the Spirit. 

How does the Spirit direct? 

By his law. "For the law of the Spirit of 
life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the 
law of sin and death." Rom. viii: 2. 

If the law of Moses could not give life, why 
was it imposed upon his people? 

' ' It was added because of transgressions till 
the seed should come to whom the pronfise was 
made. See Gal. iii: 19. "Moreover the law 
entered that the offense might abound." See 
Rom. v: 20. What offense? The offense of 
Adam. "Wherefore as by one man sin entered 
into the world, and death by sin; and so death 
passed upon all men, for that all have sinned. 
Therefore, as by the offense of one, judgment 
came upon all men to condemnation, even so 
by the righteousness of one the free gift came 



THE TWO COVENANTS. 29 

upon all men unto justification of life." Rom. 
v: 12, 18. 

From this it is evident that the law of Moses 
was added in order to convince the world that 
they were under the condemnation of the of- 
fense of Adam, and that their eternal salvation 
depended upon obedience to law, made accept- 
able by the rig-hteousness of Christ being- im- 
puted unto them. See Rom. iii: 19, 20. 

Now it is evident that obedience to law is the 
only principle by which man can worship God 
and receive the promised reward. God is per- 
fect in all his ways; hence all his laws are per- 
fect. Man became corrupt by sin. God g*ave 
perfect law to imperfect man. This law, which 
was ordained to life, was made death to man; 
for it was ordained to lead him to Christ by 
convincing* him that he was dead in sin, and un- 
able to acceptably obey God without the inter- 
cession of Christ. 

This grand truth reveals to poor, fallen man 
the great love of God for him, when by faith 
he accepts the fact that God sent his only Son 
to do that for man which man could not do for 
himself because of the offense of Adam. "For 
God so loved the world that he g*ave his only 
begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him 
should not perish, but have everlasting- life." 
John iii: 16. 



30 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

Now, in view of the foregoing* evidence on 
this subject, we are forced to conclude that 
Christ did not redeem man from the necessity 
of obedience to the law of God, but by his in- 
tercession man was redeemed from his fallen 
state, in which it was impossible for him to 
serve God acceptably, and restored to the favor 
of God, under which he can be saved in obe- 
dience to law. 

This intercession we understand to be the 
debt that Christ paid for man. Man could not 
possibly pay the debt for himself; hence his sal- 
vation wholly depended upon the mercy of the 
Son of God. And as the law of Moses was 
given in order to convince man of his indebted- 
ness and of his inability to pay the debt, it was 
taken out of the way when Christ paid the 
debt, and a perfect law of liberty was given in 
its stead. 

It is, therefore, quite evident that man's 
obedience to the gospel requirements is no part 
of the debt which Christ paid. Obedience to 
God's law was a duty that man owed to him in 
honor to his name even before the debt which 
Christ paid was incurred. Angels are in actual 
possession of eternal life, yet we understand 
that they are subject to the law of God, and 
implicit obedience to this law is required. A 
failure to comply with their law would disinherit 



THE TWO COVENANTS. 31 

them, which is shown by the following - : "And 
the ang*els which kept not their first estate, but 
left their own habitation, he hath reserved in 
everlasting" chains under darkness unto the 
judg-ment of the great day." Jude 6. "For 
if God spared not the ang*els that sinned, but 
cast them down to hell, and delivered them into 
chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judge- 
ment," etc. 2 Pet. ii: 4. 

The same mig*ht be said of man if Christ had 
not interceded for him. Man failed to keep his 
first estate; but by the intercession of Christ 
he is reinstated to the extent of being* placed 
back under the favor of God, where obedience 
to his law will be accepted. Hence, Christ paid 
all the debt incurred by the return of sinful 
man unto obedience to God's law; but he did 
not pay for a privilege to be bestowed upon 
man to dishonor God by refusing" to obey his 
laws. See 2 Thess. i: 7, 8. 

That Christ did pay all the debt is evident 
from the following*: "For the wag*es of sin is 
death: but the g*ift of God is eternal life, 
througfh Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. vi: 23. 

Now, in view of the foregoing* facts, we con- 
clude that obedience to the law of ang*els is of 
such a nature that it would be impossible for 
man in sinful flesh to obey a similar law to the 
extent of being* justified in the sig*ht of God 



32 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

without the mediation of Christ, and we under- 
stand that obedience to the law of Moses was 
also of a nature similar to that of angels, with 
the exception that it was in the hand of a me- 
diator. For this law ' ' zvas ordained by angels 
in the hand of a mediator." See Gal. iii: 19. 
And if this law had not been in the hand of a 
mediator, no person who worshiped under it 
could have been saved; for those who received 
this law, which was received by the disposition 
of angels, did not keep it. See Acts vii: 53. 
But Christ, the mediator of the new testa- 
ment, redeemed them from the curse of this law, 
and gave in its stead a perfect law of liberty. 
"Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of 
the law, being made a curse for us: for it is 
written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a 
tree." Gal. iii: 13. "But now we are deliv- 
ered from the law, that being dead wherein we 
were held; that we should serve in newness of 
spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter." 
Rom. vii: 6. " Stand fast therefore in the lib- 
erty wherewith Qhrist hath 'made us free, and 
be not entangled again with the yoke of bond- 
age." Gal. v: 1. "So speak ye, and so do, as 
they that shall be judged by the law of lib- 
erty." James ii: 12. 

This law of liberty is perfect, because obe- 
dience to it gives life. This law is the words 



THE TWO COVENANTS. 33 

of Jesus, and he said: "The words that I speak 
unto you, they are spirit and they are life." 
John vi: 63. 

This perfect law is a law of liberty, because 
it liberated sinful man from serving - a law which 
could not give life. 

In view of these facts it is evident that no 
one could be justified by the law of Moses, for 
it made no provision for the infirmities of the 
flesh, further than in types and shadows, which 
only pointed forward to the time when such 
provision would be made through Christ. Hence 
there was no actual law of pardon connected 
with the law of Moses further than those types 
and shadows which could never take away sins. 
And as man was born in sinful flesh, he was 
unable to obey this law to the extent of being 
justified, for it required implicit obedience, with- 
out a single offense through life, in order to be 
justified by the law, even from the moment he 
became accountable to God for his acts. Hence 
all who worshiped under the law of Moses were 
under the curse of the law, for none could claim 
that the\ T had not offended in any point of the 
law. "For whosoever shall keep the whole 
law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of 
all." James ii: 10. And as there was no law 
of pardon under this covenant, obedience to 
which could give life, the salvation of all who 
3 



34 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

worshiped under this covenant depended upon 
Christ redeeming them from under the curse of 
this law, and giving them a law providing for 
the infirmities of the flesh. "And for this 
cause he is the mediator of the new testament, 
that by means of death, for the redemption of 
the transgressions that were under the first tes- 
tament, they which were called might receive 
the promise of eternal inheritance." Heb. ix: 
15. "For the law having a shadow of good 
things to come, and not the very image of the 
things, can never, with those sacrifices which 
they offered year by year continually, make the 
comers thereunto perfect. But in those sacri- 
fices there is a remembrance ag*ain made of sins 
every year. ' ' ' 'And every priest standeth daily 
ministering and offering ofttimes the same sac- 
rifices, which can never take away sins: But 
this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for 
sins forever sat down on the right hand of 
God; for by one offering he hath perfected for- 
ever them that are sanctified." See Heb., 
ch. 10. 

But some one may ask, "If it is impossible 
for man in sinful flesh to obey God acceptably 
without the righteousness of Christ being im- 
puted unto him, why not simply trust in his 
righteousness to save him without any depend- 
ence upon, or obedience to, law?" 



THE TWO COVENANTS. 35 

We answer, simply because God does not so 
require in his revealed will. It would be at- 
tributing* more to Christ than he promised. It 
would be contrary to his will. It would be re- 
bellion against the government of God. God 
g*ave his law to man, and requires him to keep 
it. This is a sufficient reason why it should be 
obeyed. The righteousness of Christ is im- 
puted unto all who obey the gospel, and sin is 
imputed unto all who disobey it. 

It is, therefore, evident that obedience to the 
gospel is a duty that all accountable beings to 
God owe him in honor to his name. Hence the 
necessity of a careful investigation in regard 
to the way of salvation as revealed in the gos- 
pel of Christ will be apparent to all concerned 
in this matter. 



CHAPTER III. 



salvation from the penalty of 
adam's sin. 

THERE are three distinct salvations taug'ht 
in the revealed will of God, which are as 
follows : 

1. Salvation from the penalty of Adam's 
original transgression. 

2. Salvation from one's own sins, after he be- 
comes accountable to God for his own acts. 

3. Salvation in heaven. 

The above facts should be carefully consid- 
ered, because of many teachers who advocate a 
theory of salvation without making- the above 
distinction, and showing - the conditions upon 
which each is conferred. By so doing", they 
deceive many by conveying- the idea, that salva- 
tion in heaven is made sure by the intercession 
of Christ, without any conditions on the part 
of the sinner. Hence we have some advocat- 
ing- the doctrine of universal salvation in heaven. 
They teach that all human being's will be saved 
in heaven throug-h the mediation of Christ, re- 
gardless of any act of the creature, thereby 
contradicting- the true principle of salvation 
from sin, as revealed in God's word. Some, 
36 



SALVATION FROM SIN. 37 

who are not willing" to. deny the fact that con- 
demnation rests upon a certain class, have re- 
sorted to their doctrines of the eternal decrees 
of God, and teach that the intercession of Christ 
reaches only a part of the human family, by 
which they also contradict many truths of God's 
revealed will to man. Others, in order to sus- 
tain the theory of salvation from sin without 
any dependence upon obedience to the law of 
adoption by which sinners become children and 
heirs of God, teach that sinners are saved by 
the intercession of Christ, if they will only be- 
lieve that God has pardoned their sins. While 
we accuse no one of acting - dishonestly in this 
matter, we presume that it will not be denied 
that error exists along* this line, much to the 
detriment of the salvation of sinners, and of the 
advancement of the king-dom or church of God 
on earth. Althoug-h many teachers advocate 
the above theories, it is an astonishing* fact that 
so many accept them without searching - the 
scriptures to know whether they be true. 

It is evident that salvation from the pen- 
alty of Adam's transgression is unconditional 
on the part of the creature, for all will be re- 
deemed from death regardless of any act of the 
person, and be brougmt to a final judgement. 
This salvation is procured by the death and 
resurrection of Christ. See 1 Cor. xv: 21, 22. 



38 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

Salvation from our own sins after we become 
accountable to God for our own acts, (not 
Adam's,) is conditional on our part, depending* 
upon obedience to certain laws, which we will 
endeavor to explain in our investigations. 

Salvation in heaven is also conditional on our 
part, depending- upon obedience to certain re- 
quirements in connection with the law of adop- 
tion, by which sinners are redeemed from their 
sins or from the bondage of sin, which will also 
be explained in its proper connection. 

We are aware that what we may say on the 
subject of salvation will meet with opposition 
to some extent. While we have no desire to 
utter a word to g-ive offense, we do desire to 
freely express our faith, regardless of .what 
others may say or think. We may not be so 
liberal as some, but we will strive to be as lib- 
eral as the will of God permits. We behold 
the g'oodness of God when we learn that ' ' God 
so loved the world, that he *g-ave his only be- 
gfotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him 
should not perish, but have everlasting- life." 
But we also behold the severity of God when 
we learn that "the Lord Jesus shall be re- 
vealed from heaven with his mighty ang-els, in 
flaming- Are taking- veng-eance on them that 
know not God, and that obey not the g-ospel of 
our Lord Jesus Christ." 



SALVATION FROM SIN. 39 

We understand that the garden of Eden rep- 
resented the heavenly paradise, and that our 
first parents represented the only two classes 
of human being's that are permitted to inherit 
eternal possessions in the kingdom of heaven ; 
namely, those who have not arrived at the age 
of accountability to God, and those who are 
accounted worthy to obtain eternal life through 
obedience to law. Christ, who is the second 
Adam represented God and man, two beings in 
one. See 1 Cor. xv : 45, 1 Tim. iii : 16 and 
John i : 14. In this type, we have a beautiful 
lesson of the wisdom and goodness of God, in 
preparing for man's liability to sin on account 
of his free agency. 

We learn that our first parents fell from their 
primitive state of purity by partaking of the 
tree of knowledge of good and evil, by which 
they received a knowledge of good as well as 
evil. See Gen. iii : 24. By this, we under- 
stand that they received the power to distin- 
guish between good and evil. See Deut. i : . 39. 
Now, if by partaking of this fruit they received 
the mental power to distinguish between good 
and evil, and also possessed the power to do 
evil, they surely possessed the same power to 
do good. Hence, they were not totally de- 
praved by the fall. Therefore man is able to 
perform a good act if God requires it. 



40 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

We now make the following- statements be- 
fore we enter further into an investigation of this 
subject : We claim : 

1. That the penalty of the original trans- 
gression was death. 

2. That, although man had the mental power 
to do g-ood as well as evil, he could not redeem 
himself from the penalty of this transgression, 
nor from the bondage of sin into which he had 
fallen, because the demands of the violated law 
required a sacrifice that man could not make in 
order to acceptable service to God. He would 
not accept man's worship without the demands 
of this violated law being- satisfied. 

3. That man was restored to the privilege of 
serving- God acceptably through Christ, and 
was assured of a resurrection from the grave, 
because Christ satisfied the demands of the vio- 
lated law by which God accepts man's obedi- 
ence to law, and justifies him through faith 
made perfect by works. 

4. That salvation from the penalty of Adam's 
original sin differs from salvation from our 
own sins. 

5. That all human beings will be redeemed 
from the penalty of the first transgression by 
the death of Christ, without any conditions 
whatever on the part of man. 

6. That all accountable being's to God, who 



SALVATION FROM SIN. 41 

accept the means appointed, are saved from 
their own sins by the blood of Christ. 

7. That the church, or kingdom of God on 
earth, cost the blood of Christ, and is the only 
divinely appointed means of salvation from sin 
revealed in his word, which salvation is obtained 
by entering this church upon the terms of the 
gospel of Christ. We thus decide, that a knowl- 
edge of the terms of the gospel by which the 
church of Christ is entered, is a knowledge of 
the way of salvation from sin, or from the bond- 
age of sin. We now desire to investigate from 
a Bible standpoint, the claims set forth in the 
foregoing statements. 

Salvation through the death of Christ must 
be considered as it would be, if he had died im- 
mediately after the fall of Adam, for redemp- 
tion by his death includes Adam and all his pos- 
terity. Our first parents in their primitive 
state, possessed a right to the tree of life, which 
could be retained only through obedience to law. 
Death was the penalty of disobedience. "But 
of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, 
thou shalt not eat of it : for in the day that thou 
eatest thereof thou shalt surely die." Gen. ii : 
17. But they forfeited their right to eternal 
life, by which they were reduced to a state of 
bondage under sin, and viewing their condition 
without the mediation of Christ, they were 



42 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

deprived of the power of rendering* acceptable 
obedience to God, by which they might be ac- 
counted worthy of eternal life. They rejected 
God, by which they became his enemies. There- 
fore the human family was without God and 
without hope of a resurrection. Paul, doubt- 
less, refers to this condition of man, i. e., as his 
condition would have been without the mediation 
of Christ, when he said, "for if there had been 
a law given which could have given life, verily 
righteousness should have been by the law." 
Gal. iii : 21. But by the death of Christ, man 
was restored to the favor of God, and through 
the great offering - of his blood, all who forfeit 
their right to the tree of life when they become 
accountable to him for their acts, can return by 
complying with the requirements of God's law. 
This truth is shown by the following scrip- 
tures, which were delivered to his people : "Be- 
hold, I set before you this day a blessing and a 
curse ; A blessing, if ye obey the command- 
ments of the Lord your God, which I command 
you this day : And a curse, if ye will not obey 
the commandments of the Lord your God, but 
turn aside out of tke way which I command you 
this day, to go after other gods, which ye have 
not known." Deut. xi : 26-28. Hence, salva- 
tion from sin is conditional. But it is evident 
that redemption from Adam's transgression is 



SALVATION FROM SIN. • 43 

universal, therefore every person is born an heir 
of eternal life by the death of Christ. Jesus 
said: "Suffer little children, and forbid them 
not, to come unto me : for of such is the king- 
dom of heaven." Matt, xix : 14. They remain 
subjects of the kingdom until they forfeit their 
right of inheritance through disobedience, as 
did Adam. 

But as salvation from sin, and salvation in 
heaven are made to depend upon obedience made 
acceptable by the intercession of Christ, which 
necessarily leads persons into his kingdom or 
church on earth, and as this divine truth is 
denied by many, the necessity of making this 
important fact prominent throughout our inves- 
tigations will be apparent to every reader in- 
terested in the subject of salvation ; for any sub- 
ject connected with the salvation of sinners, is 
connected with this truth. 

But, if the death of Christ secures the re- 
demption of all the human race from the penalty 
of Adam's original transgression, which is 
death, and if the penalty of the second death is 
not incurred until the} T arrive at the age of ac- 
countability to God, why should the child be 
subject to death before this age? This maybe 
answered as follows : God said to Adam, "for 
in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt 
surely die." From this, we learn that he be- 



44 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

came a dying- mortal, subject to death at any 
moment. His posterity inherits the same lia- 
bility. The death of Christ does not release 
man from this liability. But the death of Christ 
secures the redemption of man from the death 
state after he passes into it, and not from the 
penalty of dying - , or entering- into the death 
state. 

"But," says one, "I do not quite understand 
you in reg-ard to man's power to acceptably 
serve G<?d. You claim that after the fall, he 
had the power to perform good acts, if God so 
directs, then you claim, that without the media- 
tion of Christ, he is powerless to perform an 
act by which to merit salvation from sin." 
This is true, and our claims are predicated 
upon plain facts revealed in God's will to man. 
We should remember that the word "power" 
is used in more than one sense in the Bible, 
which fact should be observed in our investiga- 
tions. It sometimes refers to man's physical or 
mental ability to perform an act, and sometimes 
to his authority or privilege to perform an act. 
With reference to salvation from sin, man has 
the physical and mental power to worship God 
without the mediation of Christ; but without 
such mediation, he would be deprived of the 
privilege of receiving eternal life, even, if he 
should be a worshiper of God. Such worship 



SALVATION FROM SIN. 45 

would not be accepted. It would be without 
authority, and without a promise. Worship 
under the law of Moses, while it was in force, 
fully sets forth the above facts, as has been 
shown in the preceding- article. It is therefore 
quite evident that the mediation of Christ re- 
stores man to the privilege of worshiping- God 
with the promise of eternal salvation on the 
conditions stipulated in his divine will. 



CHAPTER IV. 



THE CHURCH THE . DIVINELY APPOINTED 
MEANS OF SALVATION. 

IT has been shown that, by the death and res- 
urrection of Christ, all humanity will be re- 
deemed from the penalty of Adam's transgres- 
sion. "For since by man [Adam] came death 
by man [Christ] came also the resurrection of 
the dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in 
Christ shall all be made alive." 1 Cor. xv: 
21, 22. Therefore it is by the resurrection that 
all obtain eternal* life. But when a person be- 
comes accountable to God for his own acts, he 
forfeits his right to the tree of life through dis- 
obedience, as has been shown, by which he in- 
curs the penalty of a second death. See Rev. 
xx : 6. But God has prepared a way by which 
to escape the second death. It is this way of 
salvation to which we now invite the attention 
of the reader. 

"The same followed Paul and us and cried, 
saying, These men are the servants of the most 
high God, which shew unto us the way of sal- 
vation." Acts xvi: 17. From this we learn 
46 



THE CHURCH THE APPOINTED MEANS. 47 

that the way of salvation was made known to 
the people by the servants of God. But it was 
not known until Christ came and prepared it for 
his people. The plan of redemption was complete 
in the mind of God from the beginning", and the 
preparation for its establishment was carried 
on throug'h his covenants with his people, by 
which they served him in types and shadows of 
that which was to come. See Heb. x: 1. A 
promise was made to Abraham leading* to the 
consummation of this great work. "Now the 
Lord had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy 
country, and from thy kindred, and from th} r 
father's house, unto a land that I will shew 
thee. And I will make of thee a great nation, 
and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; 
and thou shalt be a blessing-: And I will bless 
them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth 
thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth 
be blessed." Gen. xii: 1-3. 

A very important lesson may be learned from 
the promises made to Abraham in the above. 
We learn that man was made an active agfent 
in this work. He was required to leave his own 
country and kindred, and enter a land shown 
unto him, that he mig-ht become the father of a 
great nation, througm which the families of the 
earth should be blessed. Abraham had faith in 
God which prompted him to obedience, and by 



48 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

his obedience faith was made perfect. For him 
to comply with the requirements of God in this 
instance was doubtless a heavy cross to bear; 
yet he believed God, and it was imputed unto 
him for righteousness. He believed that God 
was able to perform all that he had promised, 
yet he did not conclude that God would fulfil 
the promises to him without obedience to his 
requirements. For " By faith, Abraham, when 
he was called to go out into a place which he 
should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; 
and he went out not knowing - whither he 
went." Heb. xi: 8. 

Abraham became the father of the Jews, who 
were made a holy and special people unto the 
Lord, through whose line the promised salva- 
tion was to come. "Ye worship ye know not 
what: we know what ^ve worship, for salvation 
is of the Jews." John iv: 22. We learn that 
God g*ave his people a written law four hundred 
and thirty years after the promises were made 
to Abraham, by which they were directed. It 
was given as a school-master to prepare his 
people for the reception of the blessing* which 
was to come to all nations. This promise was 
to be fulfilled through Christ. See Gal. ch. 3. 
It has been shown that the way of salvation 
was taught by the servants of God, and we 
learn that Christ became a servant that he 



THE CHURCH THE APPOINTED MEANS. 49 

might be a minister to confirm the promise made 
to Abraham. "Now I say that Jesus Christ 
was a minister of the circumcision for the truth 
of God, to confirm the promises made unto the 
fathers." Rom. xv: 8. 

Christ came not only to prepare the way of 
salvation, but to teach it to his chosen people, 
that they might be enabled to proclaim the same 
to the world. When Saul was on his way to 
Damascus, Jesus appeared unto him and said, 
"For I have appeared unto thee for this pur- 
pose, to make thee a minister and a witness 
both of these things which thou hast seen and 
of those things in the which I will appear unto 
thee; delivering thee from the people, and from 
the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, to 
open their eyes, and to turn them from dark- 
ness to light, and from the power of Satan unto 
God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins 
and inheritance among them which are sancti- 
fied by faith that is jti me." Acts xxvi: 16-18. 
It is evident, therefore, that the way of salva- 
tion is learned from the teachings of Christ and 
his ministers. 

The law of Moses (school-master) taught the 
Jewish people that they were to receive a knowl- 
edge of the way of salvation through the teach- 
ings of Christ. He was the prophet that was 
to come with the words of the Lord in his mouth. 
4 



50 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

See Deut. xviii: 18. The words that were put 
into his mouth were the words of the new cov- 
enant. The establishment of this covenant 
was the fulfillment of the promise made to 
Abraham. It is the divinely-appointed means 
of salvation from sin to the world. Jesus is 
the high priest of this covenant. "Whither 
the forerunner is for us entered, even Jesus, 
made a high priest forever after the order of 
Melchisedec." Heb. vi: 20. This covenant is 
the government of the kingdom which is to 
stand forever. "And in the days of these kings 
shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom which 
shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall 
not be left to other people, but it shall break in 
pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it 
shall stand forever." Dan. ii: 44. This king- 
dom is the church, that will withstand the 
powers of hell. "And I say also unto thee 
that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will 
build my church, and the gates of hell shall not 
prevail against it.' 1 Matt, xvi: 18. 

Now, as there is but one way of salvation re- 
vealed to man, it would be presumption to claim 
that sinners can be saved by any other means. 

But it may be argued that God can save man 
in more than one way, for all power belongs to 
him. We are not investigating the unlimited 
power of God. We desire to learn just what he 



THE CHURCH THE APPOINTED MEANS. 51 

* 

he has promised to do. He can do many things 
that he does not do. We learn that he has prom- 
ised to save sinners in his own appointed way; 
and as he has revealed but one way of salvation, 
we conclude that he will not save sinners by any 
other way. When the children of Israel had 
been scattered abroad because of their dis- 
obedience, God said that he would " gather 
them out of all countries," and that he would 
"cause them to dwell safely." He also said: 
"And I will give them one heart, and one way, 
that they may fear me forever, for the good of 
them and their children after them: and I will 
make an everlasting covenant with them, that 
I will not turn away from them to do them 
good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, and 
they shall not depart from me." Jer. xxxii: 
39, 40; see also Jer. xxxi: 31 r 33. This everlast- 
ing* covenant (the one way) is the kingdom 
which will stand forever, of which Daniel spoke. 
Jesus said: "I am the way, and the truth, 
and the life." John xiv: 6. He also said, "I 
am the door; by me if any man enter in, he shall 
be saved," etc. John x: 9. Now it is evident 
that the above expressions of the Savior are 
synonymous. Therefore, if we can learn in 
what sense we enter by the door, we will un- 
derstand in what sense he is the way. He said: 
"I am the good shepherd," etc. 11th and 12th 



52 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

verses. But a shepherd is one who leads or 
directs. Hence, the fold is entered by his 
directions. It will, therefore, be readily under- 
stood that Jesus had reference to his authority 
to lead or direct persons into his fold when he 
said, "I am the way." The fold represents 
the church of Christ, and we learn by reading- 
the 9th verse of this chapter, that persons are 
saved by entering - this fold. But in order to be 
an heir of God it is necessary to be in Christ. 
See Gal. iii: 28. We are also taug-ht that "if 
any man be in Christ he is a new creature." 
But to be in Christ is to be in his church. By 
entering- his church persons become members of 
his body; for the church is the body of Christ. 
See 1 Cor. xii: 27, and Col. i: 18. Hence, when 
a person is in the church of Christ, he is in 
Christ and is a new creature. 

All who died before the establishment of the 
church, and who had lived in obedience to God's 
laws, were made heirs of God's rig-hteousness 
by the blood of Christ throug-h the establish- 
ment of the church. No person can be saved 
without the blood of Christ, yet many of God's 
servants died before his blood was shed. The 
same may be said of the establishment of his 
church. The salvation of the patriarchs de- 
pended upon the establishment of the church 
of God throug-h the blood of Christ. "These 



THE CHURCH THE APPOINTED MEANS. 53 

all died in faith, not having* received the prom- 
ises, but having* seen them afar off, and were 
persuaded of them, and embraced them," etc. 
Heb. xi: 13. What promises did they see afar 
off, but died without having* received them? 
The promise made to Abraham by which they 
were -to be saved, evidently. With the eye of 
faith those servants of God looked forward to 
the time when he would prepare the way of sal- 
vation by which they would be made heirs of 
the kingdom, and thus fulfil the promise made 
to Abraham, which promise was fulfilled in the 
establishment of the church of Christ. 

Much controversy exists with reference to the 
establishment of the church of Christ. The 
most important facts connected with this sub- 
ject are to know that it has been established and 
to know how to enter it. But as there are con- 
flicting* theories respecting* the establishment of . 
the church of Christ, we desire to briefly inves- 
tigate with reference to the place where, the 
time when, and the manner in which this church 
was established. 

It has been shown by Daniel the prophet that 
the God of heaven would set up a king*dom in 
the future, which would stand forever. We 
learn that the government of this king*dom was 
to be upon the shoulder of Christ. " For unto 
us a child is born, unto us a son is g*iven: and 



54 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

the government shall be upon his shoulder: and 
his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsel- 
lor, The Mig-hty God, The Everlasting-Father, 
The Prince of Peace. Of the increase of his 
government and peace there shall be no end, 
upon the throne of David, and upon his king- 
dom to order it, and to establish it with judg-- 
ment and with justice from henceforth even for- 
ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will per- 
form this." Isa. ix: 6, 7. 

It is evident from the above that the king-- 
dom was to be established by the Son of God 
after his birth into the world. See Luke i: 
30-33." After he had chosen his twelve disci- 
ples, he sent them forth commanding* them say- 
ing-: "As ye go, preach saying-, the king-dom of 
heaven is at hand." Matt, x : 7, He sent out 
other disciples also, preaching- the same. He 
said upon one occasion unto Peter: "And I say 
also unto thee, that thou art Peter, and upon 
this rock I will build my church, and the g-ates 
of hell shall not prevail ag-ainst it." Matt, 
xvi: 18. 

We now have this evidence before us: that 
the God of heaven was to set up an everlasting- 
king-dom; that this king-dom was to be estab- 
lished and governed by his Son after he was 
born into the world; that his Son was born of 
the virgin Mary; that during- his ministry' he 



THE CHURCH THE APPOINTED MEANS. 55 

taught, and commanded to be taught, that the 
kingdom of God was at hand; and that he said: 
" Upon this rock I will build my church, and 
the gates of hell shall not prevail against it," 
which is evidently the everlasting* kingdom of 
God which was to be set up by him. 

Where was this kingdom or church to be 
set up? 

At Jerusalem. "And it shall come to pass 
in the last days that the mountain of the Lord's 
house shall be established in the top of the 
mountains, and shall be exalted above the hills; 
and all nations shall flow unto it. And many 
people shall go and say, Come ye, and let us go 
up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of 
the God of Jacob; and he will teach us of his 
wa}'s, and we will walk in his paths: for out of 
Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of 
the Lord from Jerusalem." Isa. ii: 2, 3. 

This house of the God of Jacob is the king- 
dom or church of God, and the word of the 
Lord which was to go forth from Jerusalem, is 
the gospel of Christ. For after Jesus had risen 
from the dead he appeared unto his disciples 
and said unto them: "Thus it is written, and 
thus it behooved Christ to suffer, and to rise 
from the dead the third day: and that repent- 
ance and remission of sins should be preached 



56 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

in his name among- all nations, beginning* at 
Jerusalem." Luke xxiv: 46, 47. 

When was the church of Christ established 
at Jerusalem? 

On the hrst Pentecost after the ascension of 
Christ to his Father. When he told them that 
repentance and remission of sins should be 
preached in his name among - all nations, begin- 
ning- at Jerusalem, he also said: "And behold, 
I send the promise of my Father upon you: but 
tarr} T ye in the city of Jerusalem until ye be en- 
dued with power from on hig-h." Luke xxiv: 49. 

We learn that the apostles did as they were 
commanded; for after Christ ascended to his 
Father, the} T returned unto Jerusalem, and 
" These all continued with one accord in prayer 
and supplication, with the women, and Mary, 
the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren." 
See Acts i: 9-14. They were waiting* with one 
accord for the promise of the Father. He had 
promised them to send his Spirit to g*uide them 
into all truth, and just before Jesus ascended, 
he said unto them: "For John truly baptized 
with water; but ye shall be baptized with the 
Holy Ghost not many days hence." Acts i: 5. 
They continued to wait with one accord until 
Pentecost. And when the day of Pentecost 
was fully come, they were all with one accord 
in one place. Acts ii: 1. Hence we find that 



THE CHURCH THE APPOINTED MEANS. 57 

they had not yet received the promise of the 
Father. They still waited for the Spirit, who 
would lead them into all truth. This truth 
into which the Spirit of God was to lead them, 
is the law of the Lord which was to go forth 
from Jerusalem. It is the law of the everlast- 
ing kingdom of God, which was to be set up by 
his Son. It is the perfect law of liberty which 
is to govern the body of the church of God. It 
is the new covenant that God said he would 
put into the mind of his people and write in 
their hearts. ' k For this is the covenant that I 
will make with the house of Israel, after those 
days, saith the Lord; I will put my laws into 
their mind, and write them in their hearts; and 
I will be to them a God, and they shall be to 
me a people." Heb. viii: 10. 

This is the law upon which the church of 
Christ was established, and it was sent by the 
Spirit of God to his apostles on the day of Pen- 
tecost, and the church was set up on that day. 
" And when the day of Pentecost was fully 
come, they were all with one accord in one 
place. And suddenly there came a sound from 
heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it 
filled all the house where they were sitting. 
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues 
like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. 
And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, 



58 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

and beg*an to speak with other tongues, as the 
Spirit gave them utterance." Acts ii : 1-4. In 
view of the foregoing* facts, it cannot be con- 
sistently denied that the Holy Spirit did estab- 
lish the church of God upon his laws (the gos- 
pel), on the day of Pentecost. This also ex- 
plains the manner in which the church was es- 
tablished. 

The keys of the kingdom of heaven were de- 
livered unto Peter by the Spirit on the day of 
Pentecost, and, with the keys, he opened the 
door which leads into the everlasting kingdom 
of God when he opened the door of the church. 
He loosed from the bondage of sin all who enter 
by this door into the fold, and bound under sin 
all who refuse to enter. " And I say also unto 
thee, that thou art Peter, and upon this rock I 
will build my church ; and the gates of hell 
shall not prevail against it. And I will give 
unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven : 
and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall 
be bound in heaven : and whatsoever thou shalt 
loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Matt, 
xvi : 18-19. Hence it is quite evident that the 
entrance into the church or kingdom of God on 
earth is the entrance into his everlasting king- 
dom of heaven. This truth is beautifully illus- 
trated by the Jewish tabernacle. (See article 
on prayer.) 



THE CHURCH THE APPOINTED MEANS. 59 

There are different orders wearing- different 
names, claiming - to be the church of Christ, or a 
branch of it. It is evident therefore, that error 
exists somewhere. If Christ ever established 
a branch church, or authorized anyone to estab- 
lish such an order, we have failed to find any 
account of it in the divine record. Jesus said 
to his disciples, "I am the vine, ye are the 
branches." See John xv : 5. This evidently 
teaches that Christ is the vine, and the mem- 
bers, (not the churches) are the branches, each 
member is a branch of the vine, and as Christ 
is the vine, all the members of his church are 
branches. 

But it is arg-ued that there is nothing" in a 
name. Yet we learn that God's people were to 
be called by a new name. "And the Gentiles 
shall see thy rig-hteousness, and all kings thy 
glory : and thou shalt be called by a new name, 
which the mouth of the Ivord shall name." Isa. 
lxii : 2. By reading- 4th and 5th verses, we 
learn that when they received this new name, 
thev should no more be termed forsaken, nor 
should their inheritance be termed desolate, but 
that they should be his delig-ht, and that he 
would rejoice over them as the bridegroom re- 
joices over the bride. Then surely there must 
be something- in a name. 

We learn that after the church of Christ was 



60 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

established, his disciples were called Christians 
first in Antioch. See Acts xi : 26. But it is 
argued by those who refuse to wear this name 
to the exclusion of some humanly devised name, 
by which to be identified as followers of Christ, 
that the disciples of Christ were first called 
Christians in derision by their enemies. Hence 
they claim that there is no more divine author- 
ity for wearing- this name than for any other 
name. In view of this fact, we can readily see 
why so many who profess to be followers of 
Christ, prefer to wear some humanly devised 
name by which to be known as a follower of 
Christ, without a sanction from God, and with- 
out a blessing promised for suffering as such. 

But God's people were to have a new name. 
They were to be his delight while wearing this 
name. Now, if we can find the name worn by 
the disciples of Christ, with the sanction of 
God, and the promise of a blessing for suffering 
as such, we surely will find the name in which 
the Lord delights. 

" Then Agrippa said unto Paul, Almost thou 
persuadest me to be a Christian." Acts xxvi : 
28. 

Paul did not correct king Agrippa by telling 
him that the name Christian is not the proper 
name to wear by which to be known as a follower 
of Christ. He did not attempt to convince the 



THE CHURCH THE APPOINTED MEANS. 61 

king- that this name was given in derision by the 
enemies of Christ, and that a stigma would rest 
on all who should be induced to wear it to the 
exclusion of some human name, by which to be 
identified as followers of Christ. But "Paul 
said, I would to God that not onh T thou, but 
also all that hear me this day, were both almost, 
and altogether such as I am, except these bonds. ' ' 
Twenty-ninth verse. 

But Paul was a Christian. Hence, he desired 
that king Agrippa and all who had heard him 
were Christians. Nothing more, nothing less. 

Even, if it could be proven that the disciples 
of Christ were called Christians in derision by 
their enemies, it would only prove that the ene- 
mies of the disciples of Christ called them by 
the name that God sanctioned, »to the exclusion 
of any humanly devised name by which to be 
known as his followers. For he said by his 
Spirit, "yet if any man suffer as a Christian, 
let him not be ashamed ; but let him glorify 
God on this behalf." 1 Peter iv : 16. 

In view of the foregoing evidence as revealed 
in God's word on this subject, we conclude that 
there is. something in a name. But as Chris- 
tians are followers of Christ, and as followers 
* of Christ are members of the church of Christ, 
it is evident that all Christians are members of 
the church of Christ. 



CHAPTER V. 



THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. 

GOD delivers sinners from the power of dark- 
ness, and translates them into the kingdom 
of his dear Son, in whom they have redemption 
throug-h his blood, even the forgiveness of sins. 
See Col. i : 13, 14. Without the atonement by 
the blood of Christ no person can serve God ac- 
ceptably. This being- true, the importance of 
knowing - the terms upon which his blood atones 
for sin will be readily seen. In order to know 
this, it is necessary to understand to what ex- 
tent his blood atones for sin. While it may be 
arg-ued that the atoning- power of the blood of 
Christ is extended to all sinners on the condi- 
tion of faith, without complying- with the terms 
upon which his church is entered, we are forced 
to the conclusion that such a position is errone- 
ous. From the plain teaching's of God's word, 
we learn that Jesus tasted death for every 
human being-, and by his death, all will be re- 
deemed from the grave ; that he shed his blood 
for many, for the remission of sins. His death 
was for all, his blood was for many. Who are 
the many? We will see. " Take heed there- 
62 



THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. 63 

fore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over 
which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, 
to feed the church of God, which he hath pur- 
chased with his own blood." Acts xx : 28. 
Hence, the many, are those who compose this 
flock that enters the fold, which cost the blood 
of Jesus. His blood atones for all who be- 
come members of this flock by entering' into 
the fold of Christ. 

The Jewish tabernacle typified the church or 
kingdom of Christ on earth, and the eternal 
kingdom of heaven. The veil of the tabernacle 
separated the holy place from the most holy. 
See Ex. xxvi : 33. We learn that the blood of 
atonement was carried into the tabernacle by 
the high priest to be offered for the sins of his 
chosen people, who were the members of his 
covenant. Heb. ix : 2-7. Christ, the high 
priest of the new covenant also entered the holy 
places with his own blood and made atonement 
for the sins of his chosen people. "But Christ 
being come a hig'h priest of good things to 
come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, 
not made with hands, that is to say, not of this 
building [not the Jewish tabernacle] ; Neither 
by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own 
blood, he entered in once into the holy place, 
having obtained eternal redemption for us." 
Heb. ix : 11, 12. See also 24th verse. 



64 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

From this we learn that the blood which was 
offered by the high priest of the Jewish cove- 
nant atoned only for the sins of God's chosen 
people ; and that this blood typified the blood 
of Christ, the high priest of the new covenant. 
His blood atoned for the sins of his people under 
the first covenants, see Heb. ix : 15, and also 
atones for the sins of all who enter the new 
covenant. 

His blood is the blood of the everlasting* cove- 
nant ; and in order to receive the benefit of this 
blood in the remission of sins, it is necessary to 
be made an heir of this covenant, which is the 
government of his church. " This is the cove- 
nant that I will make with them after those 
days, saith the Lord ; I will put my laws into 
their hearts, and in their minds will I write 
them; And their sins and miquities will I re- 
member no more." Heb. x: 16, 17. Hence, it 
is evident that it is the laws or government of 
the church that God established in the hearts of 
his people. 

The blood which was offered under the Jew- 
ish covenant atoned for sins only in the sense of 
setting them aside a limited period of time. The 
offering of this blood pointed forward to the 
time when the blood of Christ would atone for 
(take away) all the sins which had been yearly 
set aside in obedience to the law, and not be re- 



THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. 65 

membered against them any more. We learn 
that the sacrifices and offering's could not take 
away sins, but, that a rememberance again of 
sins was made every year. See Heb. x : 1-4. 
From this, it is evident that the way of salva- 
tion from sin was not known until Christ came 
and revealed it to the world by the establish- 
ment of his church. By reading the eighth verse 
of the ninth chapter of Hebrews, we learn " that 
the way into the holiest of all [heaven] was not 
yet made manifest, [made known,] while as the 
first tabernacle was yet standing." It was 
only a figure of that which was to be revealed 
through Christ. 

The coming of Christ for the purpose of es- 
tablishing the way of salvation to the world, 
was a prophecy known to the Jews, and be- 
lieved by them. It was predicted that he would 
prepare this way, but when he came to his own, 
(the Jews) they received him not. "But as 
many as received him, to them gave he the 
power to become the sons of God, even to them 
that believe on his name." John i : 11, 12. He 
placed the emblems of the great sacrifice, and 
atonement of his own blood in his church, (not 
out of it,) in the form of the loaf and wine. All 
who are redeemed from their sins under the last 
dispensation, are required to partake of these 
emblems in remembrance of him. But this priv- 



66 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

liege belong-s only to the members of his church. 
Now, as all who have received the atonement by 
the blood of Christ in the remission of sins are 
required to partake of these emblems, yet none 
but members of his church are required to per- 
form this duty, it is very evident that the mem- 
bers of his church are the only persons who re- 
ceive the atonement by his blood, in the remis- 
sion of sins. Therefore, to receive the benefit 
of his blood in the remission of sins, it is neces- 
sary to enter his church by which to receive the 
privilege of partaking- of the emblems of the 
broken body and shed blood of Christ in obedi- 
ence to the requirement of God. 

But many teachers advocate a theory which 
leads to the following - conclusion : that a per- 
son may be a child and heir of God outside the 
church of Christ. Hence, while partaking* of 
the loaf and wine in remembrance of Christ, is 
a command of God to be obeyed by all his peo- 
ple who may be disposed to enter his church, 
yet entering- his church, in which partaking- of 
the loaf and wine is a divine requirement, may 
be dispensed with, without the loss of eternal 
salvation. This fact is made evident by the 
teaching's of those who claim that the sinner is 
made an heir of God, and a joint heir with Christ 
by the direct power of his spirit without be- 
coming- a member of the body of Christ, in 



THE BLOOD OF CHRIST. 67 

which all the members of this body are required 
to partake of the bread and wine in remem- 
brance of him. 

That it is necessary to partake of the bread 
and wine as required, is evident from the fol- 
lowing": "And as they were eating - , Jesus took 
bread, and blessed it, and break it, and gave it 
to the disciples, and said, Take, eat ; this is my 
body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, 
and g*ave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it ; 
For this is my blood of the New Testament, 
which is shed for many for the remission of 
sins." Matt, xxvi : 26-28. "Then Jesus said 
unto them, [the Jews] Verily, verily, I say unto 
you, Except ye eat the flesh of the son of man, 
and drink his blood, ye have no life in you. 
Whoso eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, 
hath eternal life ; and I will raise him up at 
the last day. For my flesh is meat indeed, and 
my blood is drink indeed. He that eateth my 
flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, 
and I in him." John vi : 53-56. 

But if it is necessary to partake of the bread 
and wine as directed, it is necessary to enter 
the church of Christ. This being- true, it is 
plain that all who advocate the theory of salva- 
tion outside the church of Christ, set aside the 
necessity of the existence of the church that 
cost the blood of Christ. They set at naught 



68 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

that which Jesus said, except ye do, ye have 
no life in you. And in so doing*, they set aside 
the wisdom and teachings of God, and substi- 
tute the wisdom and teachings of man. They 
make membership in the church of God of no 
more importance in regard to salvation from 
sin, than the many so-called charitable orders 
of the day, by which the church is debased, 
rather than exalted. 



CHAPTER VI. 



SALVATION BY GRACE. 

IN the preceding* article it is shown that in 
order to receive the benefit of the blood of 
Christ it is necessary to enter into his church. 
But we learn that salvation is by grace. Says 
one, "If salvation is by grace, how can it de- 
pend upon entering- the church?" This question 
is very easily answered, and may be readily un- 
derstood by accepting- the plain teaching's of 
God's word on this subject. Salvation from 
sin by grace is conditional or it is unconditional. 
If the latter is true, all will be saved in heaven, 
and the doctrine of eternal punishment is an 
error, unless God, by his grace, bestows uncon- 
ditional salvation upon one part of the human 
race, and withholds it from another, which can- 
not be true; for the apostle Peter said: "Of a 
truth I perceive that God is no respecter of per- 
sons: but in every nation he that feareth him 
and worketh righteousness, is accepted with 
him." Acts x: 34, 35. Hence, we are forced 
to conclude that the grace of God saves sinners 

69 



70 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

upon conditions. Now, the conditions upon 
which the grace of God saves sinners, answer 
the above question. We learn that by the 
grace of God, Jesus "tasted death for every 
man;" see Heb. ii: 9; that he shed his blood for 
man} T for the remission of sins; see Matt, xxvi: 
28; that this blood was shed to pay for his 
church; see Acts xx: 28; and that he is high 
priest of the new covenant, and makes atone- 
ment for the sins of all who will enter into this 
covenant. See Heb. ix: 11, 12; also ch. 10. 
This is all by the grace of God. Hence, the 
establishment of the church of Christ, which 
is the way of salvation, was b} r the grace of 
God. It is, therefore, evident that all who are 
saved by entering the church, are saved by 
grace. 

The attention of the reader is now invited to 
the following: In Paul's letter to the Romans 
he said: " Being justified freely by his grace, 
througm the redemption that is in Christ 
Jesus." Rom. iii: 24. From this we learn that 
no person can claim salvation without the grace 
of God. But Ave learn also from this scripture 
that the conditions upon which God justifies by 
grace are the same as the conditions upon which 
redemption is obtained through^Christ Jesus. 
But it has been shown that redemption through 
Christ is obtained by entering* his church. 



SALVATION BY GRACE. 71 

Hence, the grace of God leads persons into his 
church, by which the}^ are redeemed through 
the blood of Christ. But persons are led into 
the church of God by the gospel. We there- 
fore conclude that the gospel is the grace of 
God unto salvation. 

All the blessings that God bestows upon the 
human race are manifestations of his grace; that 
is, his mercy is made known by bestowing bless- 
ing's upon them, and these blessings are called 
grace. While all temporal blessing's are mani- 
festations of the grace of God, yet they do not 
bring salvation from sin. There is a blessing, 
however, which is manifested to the world that 
brings salvation to all who will accept it. This 
blessing is the gospel of Christ; for in Paul's 
letter to the Ephesian brethren he said: "In 
whom ye also trusted after that ye heard the 
word of truth, the gospel of your salvation. " 
Eph. i: 13. But in the same letter those breth- 
ren were taught that their salvation was by 
grace, from which we reasonably infer that the 
gospel is the grace of which the apostle spoke. 

We understand that the gospel is the grace 
of God in the same sense that it is the power of 
God. Paul said: "For I am not ashamed of 
the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God 
unto salvation to every one that belie veth; to 
the Jew first, and also to the Greek." Rom. i: 



72 THE WAY OP SALVATION. 

16. It becomes the power of God unto salva- 
tion by being* the means appointed by his om- 
nipotence. It becomes the grace of God unto 
salvation b} r being* the means appointed by his 
mercy or favor. In Paul's letter to Titus he 
said: "For the grace of God that bringeth sal- 
vation hath appeared to all men." Titus ii: 11. 
Yet it does not save all men. By reading- Acts 
xviii: 27, and 2 Cor. vi: 1, it may be readily in- 
ferred that some refuse to receive it throug'h 
unbelief, and others receive it in vain." Man} r 
have turned the grace of God into lascivious- 
ness, and denied the only Lord God and our 
Lord Jesus Christ. See Jude 4. It is evident, 
therefore, that salvation from sin by grace is 
conditional. 

We again invite the attention of the reader to 
Tit. ii: 11. From this we learn that the grace 
of God that brought salvation, appeared more 
than eighteen hundred years ago, and by read- 
ing the following verses, we learn that this 
grace appeared, teaching' the people how they 
should live in this present world, and that they 
should look "for that blessed hope, and the 
glorious appearing of the great God and our 
Savior Jesus Christ." The same grace that 
taught people how to live then, is teaching them 
now in the same manner. Now, it cannot be 
consistently denied that Paul had reference to 



SALVATION BY GRACE. 73 

the gospel in this instance. Added to this, we 
have the following 1 evidence: "For the law 
was given by Moses, but grace and truth came 
by Jesus Christ." John i: 17. This grace, 
which came by Jesus Christ, was the grace that 
brought salvation. But the law of Moses ex- 
isted before it came. Therefore, those who lived 
under the Jewish covenant did not receive the 
grace that brought salvation until Christ came. 
True, grace is the power of God unto salva- 
tion, which we presume will not be denied. But 
we learn that the gospel is the power of God 
unto salvation. Hence the gospel is the grace 
and truth which came by Jesus Christ. Peter, 
in his first epistle to his brethren, said: "I 
have written briefly, exhorting, and testifying 
that this is the true grace of God wherein ye 
stand. 1 Pet. v: 12. It is very evident that 
those brethren stood in the g*ospel of their sal- 
vation, which Peter called the true grace of 
God. In the same epistle we find this scrip- 
ture: "As every man hath received the gift, 
even so minister the same one to another as 
good stewards of the manifold grace of God." 
iv: 10. This scripture evidently teaches that 
every member should minister one to another as 
good managers or teachers of the various doc- 
trines of the church of God, which are the doc- 
trines of the gospel. 



74 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

But the gospel is the law of the church of 
Christ, and is, therefore, one of the elements of 
the church. The church in its full sense in- 
cludes Christ (the head), the members (the 
body), and the gospel, which is the law or gov- 
ernment of the church. Now, as the law of the 
church of God directs persons into this church, 
and as it is the power and grace of God unto 
salvation, it will be readily seen that entering 
the church of God is the condition throug-h 
which salvation by grace is procured. 



CHAPTER VII. 



GRACE IN THE HEART. 

NO person can be saved without the grace of 
God in the heart; for we learn that it is a 
good thing* that the heart be established with 
grace, that "we may serve God acceptably. " 
But the gospel is called the grace of God that 
bringeth salvation, and the facts which com- 
pose the gospel are found written in the book 
called the New Testament. But in order to 
receive the blessings promised, all these facts 
made necessary to their enjoyment must be 
written in the heart. "For this is the cove- 
nant that I will make with the house of Israel, 
after those days, saith the Lord: I will put my 
laws into their mind, and write them in their 
hearts: and I will be to them a God, and they 
shall be to me a people." Heb. viii: 10. But 
these laws are facts of the gospel, and the g*os- 
pel is the grace of God that bringeth salvation. 
Hence, these facts of the gospel, when written 
in the heart, are the grace of God in the heart. 
The followers of Christ are required to 
"grow in grace and in the knowledge of 

75 



76 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." See 2 
Peter iii: 18. In order to understand what is 
meant by this scripture we will examine the 
following*: "Wherefore we receiving" a king*dom 
which cannot be moved, let us have grace where- 
by we may serve God acceptably, with rever- 
ence and g"odly fear." Heb. xii: 28. We learn 
from this that grace is the power by which to 
serve God acceptably. But the g*ospel is the 
power by which to serve him acceptably, for it 
is the power of God unto salvation. There- 
fore, the g*ospel of salvation established in the 
heart, is the grace of God in the heart. We 
also learn that the followers of Christ are re- 
quired to have the heart established with grace, 
that they may not be carried about with divers 
and strangle doctrines. See Heb. xiii: 9. This 
evidently refers to the establishment of the 
doctrines of the g*ospel of salvation in the heart, 
for it is only by the establishment of these doc- 
trines in the heart that the followers of Christ 
are made secure in the faith. Hence it is very 
evident that the members of the church of Christ 
grow in grace by increasing* in knowledge of 
the g*ospel and establishing* the same in their 
hearts. 

Now, we learn from the foreg*oing* that the 
gospel is the grace of God that broug*ht salva- 
tion to the world throug*h Christ; that salva- 



GRACE IN THE HEART. 77 

tion by this grace is conditional; and that 
having* this grace written in the heart is the 
condition upon which it saves. Therefore, 
when a person receives a knowledge of the gos- 
pel of salvation, and accepts it by obeying- from 
the heart the form of doctrine delivered him, he 
becomes a member of the church of Christ, by 
which he is made an heir of God by grace 
through faith. He is then required to add to 
faith virtue, to virtue knowledge, etc., thereby 
growing ' ' in grace and in the knowledge of our 
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 

In view of the evidence given by the word of 
God on the subject of salvation, as shown in 
this and the preceding articles, we claim that our 
position, as set forth in the seven fundamental 
principles of salvation found in the first article, 
are fully sustained as being true principles of 
salvation as revealed in the holy scriptures. It 
is, therefore, evident that God has never re- 
vealed but one way of salvation from sin to 
to mankind; that his church, which was estab- 
lished by his only Son, Jesus Christ, is the only 
divinely appointed means of salvation from sin; 
and that in order to obtain salvation from sin 
and eternal salvation in heaven, under the last 
covenant, it is necessary to enter this church 
upon the terms of the gospel. This being true, 
the necessity of knowing the terms upon which 



78 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

the church is entered will be apparent to all 
concerned in this matter. In the following* ar- 
ticles we will endeavor to explain these terms 
in a manner that the reader may distinguish 
between them and human theories. 



CHAPTER VIII. 



ORDERS OF WORSHIP. 

IT has been shown that God will not accept 
any form of worship without the demands of 
his violated laws being satisfied ; that man was 
unable to satisfy the demands of his violated 
laws : and that Christ satisfied all demands 
necessary to restore man to the privilege of ren- 
dering* acceptable service to God in obedience to 
law. Hence God, from the beginning*, has re- 
quired obedience to his law as being necessary 
to the continued acceptance by him, of all who 
are redeemed through Christ and have arrived 
at the age of accountability to him, by which 
they are received into everlasting life in the 
kingdom of heaven. 

There have been different orders or forms of 
worship by which to serve God. The services 
under those forms were made acceptable by the 
blood of Christ, in the same sense that his blood 
atoned for the sins of his people who lived be- 
fore the establishment of his church. Paul 
said : ' ' Whom God hath set forth to be a pro- 
pitiation through faith in his blood, to declare 

79 



80 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

his righteousness for the remission of sins that 
are past, through the forbearance of God." 
Rom. iii : 25. From this it is evident that 
Abraham's obedience to God's requirements 
was made acceptable by the blood of Christ, 
which atoned for his sins, and b} r which he was 
made an heir of the kingdom of righteousness. 
In the same way, obedience to God's laws or 
requirements in all past ages was made accept- 
able to him, by which his servants were made 
heirs of the righteousness of God revealed in 
the gospel of Christ, which righteousness is 
the manifestation of his grace by the establish- 
ment of his church, through the blood of Christ, 
for the salvation of sinners in all ages. This is 
further shown bv the following - : "And for 
this cause he [Christ] is the mediator of the new 
testament, that by means of death for the re- 
demption of the trangressions that were under 
the first testament, they which are called might 
receive the promise of eternal inheritance." 
Heb. ix: 15. 

Abel had faith in God, and " offered unto God 
a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he 
obtained witness that he was righteous." Be- 
fore Enoch was translated, "he had this testi- 
mony, that he pleased God. " Noah obeyed God 
"by which he condemned the world, and became 
heir of the righteousness which is by faith." 



ORDERS OF WORSHIP. 81 

Isaac and Jacob were made heirs with Abraham 
of the same promise. " These all died in faith, 
not having* received the promises, but having" 
seen them afar off, and were persuaded of them, 
and embraced them, and confessed that they 
were strang-ers and pilgrims on the earth. " See 
Heb. xi : 1-13. Although they did not receive 
the promised blessing's during" their life, yet, 
they saw them in the future by faith, and em- 
braced them. They died in the faith that God 
would fulfill that which he had promised. And 
by the blood of Christ they "are blessed with 
faithful Abraham." See Gal. iii : 9. 

By the establishment of the church, a new 
form of worship was introduced to the world, 
by which sinners may become the servants of 
righteousness. Paul when writing" to his Roman 
brethren, said : ' ' But God be thanked, that ye 
were the servants of sin ; but ye have obeyed 
from the heart that form of doctrine which was 
delivered you. Being" then made free from sin, ye 
became the servants of rig"hteousness. " Rom. 
vi : 17, 18. This form of doctrine has reference 
to the means by which the church is entered, 
which we will now endeavor to show. But in 
order to understand how this form of doctrine 
is obeyed, it is necessary first to know the doc- 
trine, for the form must represent the doctrine. 

We have shown that Paul was made one of 
6 



82 THE WAY OE SALVATION. 

the ministers of Christ to teach this doctrine, 
and also the form to be obeyed. When writing- 
to the Corinthian brethren, he said : "More- 
over, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel 
which I preached unto you, which also ye have 
received, and wherein ye stand ; by which also 
ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I 
preached unto you, unless ye have believed in 
vain. For I delivered unto you first of all, 
that which I also received, how that Christ died 
for our sins according* to the scriptures ; And 
that he was buried, and that he rose ag-ain the 
third day according- to the scriptures." 1 Cor. 
xv : 1-4. From this we learn that people are 
saved by the g-ospel. We also learn that this 
g-ospel includes the death, burial and resurrection 
of Christ. This is the doctrine, the form of 
which must be obeyed in order to be freed from 
the bondag-e of sin. 

Now, it is evident that no one can die for his 
own sins and rise to justification in life; but a 
person can obey the form of the death, burial 
and resurrection of Christ, and reckon or count 
himself to be dead unto sin and alive unto God. 
Paul said: " Likewise reckon ye also yourselves 
to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God 
throug-h Jesus Christ our Lord." Rom. vi: 11. 
When must we reckon ourselves dead unto sin 
and alive unto God? When we have obeyed the 



ORDERS OF WORSHIP. 83 

form that. represents the death, burial and res- 
urrection of Christ. It is throug-h the death, 
burial and resurrection of Christ that sinners 
are saved, and as they canot obey this doctrine 
or demand of God's law for themselves, God, 
in his love, accepts obedience to the form of this 
doctrine, which the sinner can obey, and im- 
putes righteousness unto him in obedience to 
it. What is this form? Baptism. Paul said: 
"Know ye not that so many of us as were 
baptized into Jesus Christ, were baptized into 
his death? Therefore we are buried with him 
by baptism into death: that like as Christ was 
raised up from the dead by the g"lory of the 
Father, even so we also should walk in new- 
ness of life. For if we have been planted to- 
gether in the likeness of his death, we shall be 
also in the likeness of his resurrection: Know- 
ing- this, that our old man is crucified with him, 
that the body of sin migfht be destroyed, that 
henceforth we should not serve sin." Rom. vi: 
3-6. By comparing - the above with the seven- 
teenth and eighteenth verses of the same chap- 
ter, it is readily perceived that baptism is the 
form of doctrine by which we are made free 
from sin. Also, by comparing- the sixth and 
eleventh verses, it is very evident that we are 
to reckon ourselves as being- dead unto sin and 
alive unto God from the time that this form is 



84 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

obeyed, and not before. This truth is further 
shown by the following-: "Buried with him in 
baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him 
throug-h the faith of the operation of God, who 
hath raised him from the dead. And you, being 
dead in your sins and the circumcision of your 
flesh, hath he quickened together with him, 
having - forgfiven you all trespasses." Col. ii: 
12, 13. 

As much controversy exists with reference to 
the desigm of baptism, and as we deem it a mat- 
ter of very grave importance to all who desire 
salvation from their sins to fully understand, 
and to believe just what God has promised in 
obedience to this command, we will examine a 
few statements of the* scriptures, as given by 
inspired men, on this subject. That baptism is 
a command we presume will not be denied, 
Hence, the trouble arises in regard to the de- 
sign. Now, we learn from Paul that he and 
his brethren were baptized into Jesus Christ. 
Hence, they were out of him before obedience 
to this command; that they were buried with 
Christ in baptism and rose to walk a new life. 
What new life? A new life in Christ, evi- 
dently. Hence, they did not walk this new life 
before this burial and resurrection. That in 
this burial and resurrection they knew that the 
old man was crucified with him, that the body 



ORDERS OF WORSHIP. 85 

of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth 
(from this time) they should not serve sin. 

Now, in view of the above facts, we are forced 
to conclude that persons are out of Christ be- 
fore baptism; that in the act of baptism they 
enter into Christ and receive the remission of 
sins; and that they are now required to reckon 
themselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive 
unto God through Jesus Christ. Now, by com- 
paring- the above scripture with Rom. vi: 17, it 
will be readily seen that baptism is the form of 
doctrine to be obeyed. 

When those Jews who had crucified the Son 
of God were convinced of their guilt, " they said 
unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men 
and brethren, what shall we do?" They did not 
inquire to know what to do because their sins 
were remitted, which is evident from the an- 
swer given by Peter when he said unto them, 
"Repent, and be baptized every one of you in 
the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of 
sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy 
Ghost." Acts ii: 38. Those persons under- 
stood that they were to receive and obey the 
teachings of Peter in order to be saved. ' ' Then 
they that gladly received his word were bap- 
tized, and the same day there were added unto 
them about three thousand souls." 41st verse. 
They obeyed the form of doctrine delivered 



86 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

them by Peter, by which they were freed from 
sin. But it is arg-ued by many that the phrase 
"for the remission of sins," in'the thirty-eighth 
verse of the above, means because of the remis- 
sion of sins. Their object is to make this verse 
teach that baptism is because of the remission 
of sins. But the inconsistency of such a posi- 
tion may be readily seen by observing- that there 
are two things required in this statement for 
the remission of sins, namely, repentance and 
baptism. Now, if baptism is because of the re- 
mission of sins, repentance is because of the re- 
mission of sins also, as both are for the same 
purpose. But those who advocate this error 
are not willing to admit that repentance is be- 
cause of the remission of sins. Hence, in their 
effort to sustain their position with reference to 
the design of baptism, they are forced to ac- 
cept what they do not believe, or surrender their 
theory of salvation without obeying the form 
of doctrine delivered them in order to free them 
from sin. 

The eunuch understood that baptism was 
this form of doctrine when he said: "See, here 
is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?" 
See Acts viii: 36. 

Ananias said to Saul, "Arise, and be bap- 
tized, and wash away thy sins, calling on the 
name of the Lord." See Acts xxii: 16. Paul 



ORDERS OF WORSHIP. 87 

believed Ananias, and obeyed the form of doc- 
trine delivered him, by which he was freed from 
his sins, although he was chief of sinners. He 
said: " This is a faithful saying-, and worthy of 
all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the 
world to save sinners, of whom I am chief." 
1 Tim. i: 15. Yet he was baptized in obedience 
to God's command, in order to the remission of 
sins; and there are thousands professing to be 
followers of Christ and his apostles, who deny 
this divine truth, because it is contrary to the 
teachings of some false theory to which they 
are wedded. "But," says one, "those people 
who oppose baptism in ordei to the remission of 
sins, and teach salvation by faith only, are zeal- 
ous worshipers of God, and are conscientious 
in what they do." This we will not deny; yet 
the same may be said of Paul when he was per- 
secuting the church of God. He was a zeal- 
ous worshiper under the Jewish covenant, and 
was conscientious in persecuting Christians. 
We learn that he was taught according to the 
perfect manner of the law of the fathers, and 
was zealous toward God in his effort to destroy 
the gospel of the church of Christ. See Acts 
xxii: 3-5. In his defense before King Agrippa 
he said: " I verily thought with myself that I 
ought to do many things contrary to the name 
of Jesus of Nazareth." Actsxxvi: 9. Hence, 



88 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

Paul thought he was doing- God's service, when 
he was doing- that which made him the chief of 
sinners. 

Peter, after speaking- of the eig-ht souls who 
were saved by water, said: "The like fig-ure 
whereunto even baptism doth also now save us 
(not the putting- away of the filth of the flesh, 
but the answer of a g-ood conscience toward 
God), by the resurrection of Jesus Christ.' 1 
1 Pet. iii: 21. But it is arg-ued that baptism is 
only a fig-ure. Such an arg-ument fails to ac- 
complish that which is desired by those who 
use it to evade the force of Peter's assertion in 
reg-ard to baptism, for he said: "Baptism doth 
also now save us." "But," says one, "bap- 
tism is the answer of a g-ood conscience." This 
is true, but it only proves that the answer of a 
g-ood conscience, which is baptism, saves us. 

Yet it is arg-ued that sins are put away be- 
fore baptism. If this be true, putting- away 
sins does not save, for Peter said, "baptism 
doth also now save us." This truth cannot be 
evaded, and it is the duty of every one to accept 
it as the apostle g-ave it. Peter shows how bap- 
tism saves us. He said: " Baptism doth also now 
save us by the resurrection of Jesus Christ." 

It has been shown that the church is the only 
divinely appointed means of salvation from sin, 
and that sinners are required to enter this 



ORDERS OF WORSHIP. 89 

church in order to be saved. Jesus said: "I 
am the door: by me if any man enter in, he 
shall be saved," etc. See John x: 9. He also 
said: " He that belie veth and is baptized shall 
be saved." See Mark xvi: 16. Therefore, 
when the sinner believes and is baptized, he 
enters by the door into the fold of Christ, and 
is saved. This is in perfect harmony with the 
statement of Peter, when he said, "baptism 
doth also now save us." But Peter taught 
that baptism saves by the resurrection of Jesus 
Christ. This also harmonizes perfectly with 
the truth that the church of Christ is the only 
divinely appointed means of salvation from sin. 
It was by the resurrection of Christ that all 
the promises through him were made sure and 
steadfast. He said: "Upon this rock I will 
build my church, and the gates of hell shall not 
prevail against it." The fulfillment of this as- 
sertion would have been a complete failure had 
he not have been resurrected and received into 
glory by the Father, and made head over the 
church of the living God. Paul said: "And if 
Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, 
and your faith is also vain." 1 Cor. xv: 14. 
Hence, the establishment of the way of salvation 
depended upon the resurrection of Christ. Now, 
as the church is the divinely appointed means 
of salvation from sin, and scriptural baptism 



90 the: way of salvation. 

the means appointed by which the church is 
entered, and as this salvation depended upon 
the resurrection of Christ, the statement of the 
Apostle Peter is made clear to the mind. By 
the resurrection of Christ the power of his 
church is established, and by baptism the church 
is entered. Hence, baptism saves us by induct- 
ing- us into the church of Christ, made sure by 
his resurrection, thereby fulfilling- God's prom- 
ise. 

We have shown that the resurrection of Christ 
secures the resurrection of all the human fam- 
ily. Now, all who obey from the heart the 
form of doctrine delivered them, by which they 
are led into the church of Christ, and continue 
therein, will be resurrected unto eternal life. 
Those who refuse to obey this form of doctrine 
have no promise of eternal life in heaven. 
After Jesus had risen from the dead, he ap- 
peared unto his apostles. "And he said unto 
them, Go ye into all the world, and preach 
the g-ospel to every creature. He that believe th 
and is baptized shall be saved; but he that be- 
lieveth not shall be damned." Mark xvi: 15, 16. 
We learn from this that faith in the g*ospel and 
obedience to the form that represents the death, 
burial and resurrection of Christ, are required 
in order to be saved. 

The g-ospel is composed of facts revealed to 



ORDERS OF WORSHIP. 91 

man in regard to his salvation, and may be 
divided into the following- classes: facts to be 
believed, which include the death, burial and 
resurrection of Christ; facts to be obeyed, 
which include the form of doctrine by which 
the sinner is freed from sin; and facts to be 
hoped for, which are the promises to those who 
accept the gospel through faith. "For we are 
saved by hope. But hope that is seen is not 
hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet 
hope for? But if we hope for that we see not, 
then do we with patience wait for it." Rom. 
viii: 24, 25. But true hope comes through the 
patience and comfort of the scriptures. See 
Rom. xv: 4. The comfort of the scriptures is 
received in obedience to their requirements 
through faith in the promises. 

We now desire to examine further the state- 
ment of Peter found in his first epistle,- third 
chapter, twenty-first verse, which is often so 
misapplied as to make it convey the idea that 
baptism is not in order to the remission of sins. 
It is claimed by some, in commenting on this 
scripture, that the expression " not the putting- 
away of the filth of the flesh," is equivalent to 
' not jmtting" away the sins;" thereby endeav- 
oring to make the statement of Peter teach that 
sins are not put away or remitted in the act of 
baptism. That this is an absurdity may be 



92 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

proven by assuming- it to be true. We would then 
have the Apostle Peter teaching - that baptism 
saves us, but does not put away our sins ; for this 
scripture would then read as follows: "The 
like fig-ure whereunto even baptism doth also 
now save us (not putting* away the sins)," etc. 
Those who advocate the above error seem to en- 
tirely ig-nore the fact that the Apostle Peter 
plainly teaches that "baptism doth also now 
save us." 

Now, it is quite evident that this statement 
of the Apostle Peter, referred to above, sets 
forth four plain facts: It teaches what baptism 
is, what it is not, what it does, and how it is 
done. What is baptism? Answer: It is "the 
answer of a gx>od conscience." It is not what? 
It is " not putting* away the filth of the flesh." 
See Lev. xiv: 1-11. What does baptism do? It 
"doth also now save us." How does it save 
us? It saves us "by the resurrection of Jesus 
Christ," which has been explained. It is quite 
evident that to deny any one of the above an- 
swers is to deny the teaching - of God's word. 
Hence, to deny that baptism is in order to the 
remission of sins, is to deny the plain teaching's 
of the word of God. 

But it may be arg-ued, that if Peter intended 
to convey the idea that baptism is in order to 
the actual remission of sins, it contradicts the 



ORDERS OF WORSHIP. 93 

doctrine of salvation by grace, by making* the 
salvation of man depend upon his own works. 
We would state in reply, that we presume 
no one will deny that the foreg*oing* statement 
of the apostle does convey such an idea. It is 
also evident that Peter intended to convey such 
an idea, for no other idea could be conveyed by 
him in the foregoing - statement, unless it could 
be proven that a person may be in a saved con- 
dition without having - his sins remitted, or that 
he may have his sins remitted and not be in a 
saved state, which is an absurdity. 

It is not true that the foregoing- statement 
contradicts the doctrine of salvation by grace. 
It was by the grace of God that his church was 
established, and laws ordained by which to en- 
ter this church and be freed from sin. Hence, 
when a person is saved through obedience to 
God's law which broug*ht salvation, he is saved 
by the grace of God. 

It should not be forgotten that obedience to 
any of God's existing* laws is God's work. To 
believe on Christ is the work of God. Why? 
Because it is obeying* God to believe on Christ. 
To repent, to be baptized, or to obey any com- 
mand of God, is the work of God for the same 
reason. To teach that obedience to any of 
God's commands is the work of man to the ex- 



94 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

elusion of being- the work of God, is presump- 
tuous, to say the least of it. 

But we may be told that Paul, when writing- 
to the Corinthian brethren, said: "I thank God 
that I baptized none of } t ou, but Crispus and 
Gaius. And I baptized also the household of 
Stephanas." He also stated that he was not 
sent to baptize, but to preach the g-ospel. See 
1 Cor. i: 14-17. 

The above scripture is used by some as 
being* evidence supporting- the arg-ument against 
baptism in order to the remission of sins. They 
seem not to consider the fact that in pursuing- 
such a course the}' would, have God's word con- 
tradicting' itself. The\ T infer from the above 
that Paul did not look upon baptism as being- an 
ordinance of such importance as some would 
have it. If baptism is a condition of pardon, 
they presume that he would not have thanked 
God that he had baptized but few of those Cor- 
inthian members. Besides, Paul was not sent 
to baptize. Hence they conclude that if it is as 
important to be baptized as some would have 
them believe, Paul would have been sent to bap- 
tize as well as to preach the g-ospel, thereby 
endeavoring- to make the impression that Paul 
baptized only a few during* his labor in the g"os- 
pel, because baptism was not of such importance 
as preaching- the g-ospel. While preaching- the 



ORDERS OF WORSHIP. 95 

gospel may have been a more important work, 
respecting- Paul's duty, than baptizing- persons, 
yet hearing-, believing- and obeying- the g-ospel, 
which includes baptism, was a more important 
work respecting- the duty of sinners, than 
preaching- the g-ospel. 

But the foreg-oing- arg-uments ag-ainst bap- 
tism in order to the remission of sins, are based 
wholly upon what they would call a reasonable 
inference drawn from the statements of Paul 
quoted and alluded to in the above. While an ar- 
gument, even based upon a reasonable inference, 
may be accepted as evidence on any subject, in 
the absence of better evidence to the contrary, 
yet if such contradictory evidence is produced, it 
sets aside the first argument and establishes the 
second. In view of this fact, we deny the fore- 
g-oing- arg-uments ag-ainst baptism in order to 
the remission of sins for two reasons, which are 
as follows: 

1. By reading- the first chapter of Paul's first 
letter to the Corinthian brethren, it will be 
seen that division had arisen among- them. Some 
contended that they were of Paul, some of 
Apollos, some of Cephas, and some of Christ. 
In view of this fact, Paul grave his reason for 
thanking- God that he had baptized only a few 
of his Corinthian brethren. He said: "Lest 
any should say that I had baptized in my own 



% THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

name. ' ' He did not say that he thanked God he 
baptized so few of those Corinthians because of 
baptism being* non-essential to salvation, as 
some would infer by their arguments. From 
the reason g*iven by Paul for thanking- God in 
this instance, we claim that it is more reason- 
able to infer that baptism is of such importance 
that it would be detrimental to the salvation of 
sinners to be baptized in the name of Paul. 
But why this deep concern upon the part of 
Paul, if baptism is not essential to salvation 
from sin? Would the salvation of any one be 
imperiled had some of those Corinthians claimed 
that they had obeyed a non-essential ordinance 
in the name of Paul? Surely not. But as bap- 
tism is a condition of pardon, and as valid bap- 
tism depends upon being - buried with Christ, 
not Paul, and rising - to walk in newness of life 
in Christ, not in Paul, it was necessary that all 
errors leading" to a violation of this divine law 
be avoided. 

Paul was not sent to baptize, yet he was sent 
to preach baptism when he was sent to preach 
the gfospel. He baptized but few of his Cor- 
inthian brethren, yet we presume it will not be 
denied that they were baptized. Hence, we 
reasonably infer that some person or persons 
were baptizing" while Paul was preaching* the 
gfospel. 



ORDERS OF WORSHIP. 97 

2. The foregoing* arguments against baptism 
in order to the remission of sins, while they 
contradict the plain teachings of the Apostle 
Peter, in regard to this subject, they would 
also have Paul denying the design of his own 
baptism; for Ananias, whom the Lord sent to 
instruct Paul, said to him, "Arise and be bap- 
tized and wash away thy sins, calling on the 
name of the Lord." We also learn that he 
obeyed the requirement of the servant of God, 
and immediately began to preach the gospel, 
teaching sinners to be buried with Christ in 
baptism, and rise to walk in newness of life; 
teaching them that they were then made free 
from sin and became servants of righteousness. 

We mav be told that Jesus said, "He that 
believeth on the Son hath everlasting life," and 
that baptism is not mentioned in connection with 
the above statement. This is is true; yet it is 
no evidence in support of the claim that bap- 
tism is not a condition of pardon. Repentance 
is not mentioned in the above, although it will 
be admitted by all who claim faith to be a con- 
dition of pardon, that repentance is also a con- 
dition of pardon. All who believe on Christ 
believe just what he taught in regard to bap- 
tism. God does not require anyone to believe 
he will do anything that he has not promised 
to do. He has not promised to save anyone who 
7 



98 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

refuses to be baptized; hence we are not re- 
quired to believe that he will save such per- 
sons. He has promised to save all who believe 
and are baptized; hence we are required to be- 
lieve that such persons shall be saved on the 
conditions set forth in the divine law. 



CHAPTER IX. 



JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 

IT HAS been shown in the preceding - article 
that baptism is the form of doctrine to be 
obeyed from the heart in order to be freed from 
sin. But, from what has been stated on this 
subject, it is quite evident that this doctrine 
cannot be acceptably obeyed without faith. We 
learn from Heb. xi: 6, that without faith it is 
impossible to please God. But in order to 
please God, it is necessary to believe in Christ. 
He said to his disciples, "Let not your heart 
be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in 
me." John xiv: 1. And, upon another occa- 
sion, he said to the unbelieving - Jews, "For if 
ye believe not that I am he [Christ], ye shall 
die in your sins." See John viii: 24. But to 
believe in Christ will not benefit anyone if he 
does not receive his words and the words of his 
apostles, whom he sent in his own name to 
teach the way of salvation. Jesus said: "Ver- 
ily, verily, I say unto you, he that receiveth 

99 



100 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that 
receiveth me receiveth him that sent me." 
John xiii: 20. Hence to receive the teachings 
of the apostles is to receive God and Christ, his 
Son. To reject the teachings of the apostles 
is to reject God and his Son. But in order to 
be a true disciple of Christ it is necessary not 
only to believe and receive his teachings, but to 
continue in them. "Then said Jesus to those 
Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in 
my word then are } T e my disciples indeed." 
John viii: 31. 

Now, in view of the above facts, it is evident 
that scriptural faith includes a belief in God, 
in Christ, and in his word, which includes the 
teachings of his apostles. It is also evident 
that faith will benefit no one if it fails to pro 
duce obedience to the gospel, which necessarily 
leads persons into the church of Christ. 

The doctrine of salvation by faith without 
works is a very popular theory of the day. 
Although it is directly and indirectly refuted by 
many scriptures and is positively contradicted 
by the Apostle James, it is, nevertheless, advo- 
cated by many teachers and others who claim 
to be followers of Christ. Therefore much 
confusion and controversy have arisen in regard 
to this subject. We will now endeavor to place 
before the mind of the reader the true meaning 



JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 101 

of faith as we understand it to be revealed in 
God's will. 

We now make the following- statement: A 
faith that procures salvation from sin insepara- 
bly connects a belief in God and his revealed 
will with obedience to the dictates of this will. 
This statement is fully sustained by the teach- 
ing's of the g-ospel, as the following - will show: 
We learn that without faith it is impossible to 
please God. Hence, God will not accept works 
without faith. Such works are equivalent to 
no works. Therefore no one can consistentlv 
claim that a person is justified by works with- 
out faith. We also have the following-: "Even 
so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being- 
alone." James ii: 17. The same plain truth 
is here presented by James with reference to 
works that is presented in the foregoing- state- 
ment with reference to faith. It will be read- 
ily seen from the statement of James, that God 
will not accept faith without works. Such 
faith is equivalent to ?io faith. It is dead. 
Hence, no one can consistently claim that a per- 
son is justified from sin by faith without works. 
Persons who claim that God has justified them 
from their sins by faith without works, are 
called vain by the Apostle James. " But wilt 
thou know, O vain man, that faith without 
works is dead?" James ii: 20. The above state- 



102 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

ments of James fully sustain the assertion that 
the faith through which salvation is procured 
cannot exist without works. The faith which 
is to the saving* of the soul is kept alive by 
works. 

Before further investigation on this subject, 
we make the following statements: We under- 
stand that there is one body of the church, and 
one Spirit to guide or direct the body, even as 
we are called in one hope of our calling, by the 
Spirit throug'h the gospel. One Lord, one 
faith (church or system of salvation), one bap- 
tism into the one faith. See Eph. iv: 4, 5. 
The word "church" like the word "grace" 
is used in more than one sense in the New Tes- 
tament. It sometimes includes the gospel or 
new covenant, and sometimes it refers only to 
the members or congregations. The word 
"faith" is also used in more than one sense in 
the Bible. It sometimes has reference to a be- 
lief of testimony, and sometimes to the church, 
including the gospel, as the means by which 
salvation from sin is bestowed upon all nations. 
With this view of the subject, we will continue 
our investigation. 

Belief of testimony, which we will call our 
faith, is the faith that James called "faith 
only," when it fails to produce works or obe- 
dience to the gospel. He also teaches that 



JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 103 

such faith is dead. This faith and belief are 
synonymous, and may be divided into different 
classes. There is onl} T one true faith, but there 
may be many false faiths. Paul, when speak- 
ing" with reference to those who refused to re- 
ceive the love of the truth, said: "And for this 
cause God shall send them strong* delusion, that 
they should believe a lie." 2 Thes. ii: 11. If 
our faith and belief are synonymous, surely all 
who believe a lie must have faith in a lie. 

Persons are required to believe in Christ in 
order to be saved; but in view of the foreg-oing* 
evidence, no one who does not believe the gfos- 
pel of salvation can have true faith in Christ. 
A person may believe on him and not be an heir 
of God. ' ' Nevertheless, among- the chief rulers 
also many believed on him; but because of the 
Pharisees they did not confess him lest they 
should be put out of the synagogue. " John xii: 
42. Hence, our belief or faith in the testimony 
of Christ may fail to produce the proper result, 
as in the case of those chief rulers. But why 
this failure on the part of many who believe on 
Christ? By reading- Luke viii: 13, 14, 15, we 
learn that the word must be received into hon- 
est and g-ood hearts, which is done by faith. 
Hence, the belief or faith that prompts to obe- 
dience depends upon being- received into an hon- 
est and g-ood heart. 



104 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

We learn that "whosoever believeth that 
Jesus is the Christ is born of God." See 1 
John v: 1. We presume that no one will claim 
that John had reference to such characters as 
the chief rulers who believed on him but would 
not confess him. He evidently had reference to 
those who receive into honest and g-ood hearts 
that faith which worketh by love. "For in 
Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any- 
thing", nor uncircumcision, but faith which 
worketh by love." Gal. v: 6. 

To believe on Christ only g^ives alien sinners 
the power to become the sons of God. ' ' But 
as many as received him, to them g-ave he power 
to become the sons of God, even to them that 
believe on his name." John i: 12. It is evi- 
dent, therefore, that those chief rulers who be- 
lieved on Christ had the power to become the 
sons of God, but they rejected the power be- 
stowed upon them by refusing* to obey God. 
But it may be argfued that simply to believe 
that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and to be- 
lieve the "mere" word, is historical faith. This 
is true, yet it is the only faith by which the sin- 
ner can be led into the fold of Christ. John 
said: "And many other sig^ns truly did Jesus in 
the presence of his disciples, which are not 
written in this book. But these are written 
that ye migfht believe that Jesus is the Christ, 



JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 105 

the Son of God; and that believing* ye might 
have life through his name." John xx: 30, 31. 

Historical faith is a belief in the statements 
of history. The Bible is a divine history, in- 
cluding- all the facts known to man on the sub- 
ject of salvation. When these facts are be- 
lieved, such belief is historical faith. Anything 
believed in regard to salvation not revealed in 
divine history is imagination. No one can serve 
God acceptably without knowing - what is re- 
quired in order to such service, and this can be 
known only by what is revealed in his holy 
word. 

But it is claimed by many that sinners cannot 
have true faith by which salvation is procured, 
until God, by a direct operation of his Spirit, 
prepares the heart for the reception of such 
faith. Hence, they claim that sinners cannot 
come to God through faith in the gospel, with- 
out this change of heart by his direct regener- 
ating power. Yet all sinners are required to 
believe the gospel of Christ, and are threat- 
ened with destruction if they refuse to believe 
it. Jesus said unto his apostles, "Go ye into 
all the world, and preach the gospel to every 
creature. He that believeth and is baptized 
shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be 
damned." Believe what? The gospel, evidently, 
for this is what the apostles were commanded to 



106 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

preach. Hence, the above theory of the regen- 
eration of the heart would have God to damn 
sinners for failing" to do that which the} T can- 
not do without his direct aid, which he refuses 
to give them. But we learn that ' ' God so loved 
the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, 
that whosoever believeth in him should not 
perish, but have everlasting life." John iii: 16. 
"And ye will not come to me that ye might 
have life." John v: 40. It will be observed 
that Jesus did not tell those unbelievers that 
they could not come to him, but "ye will not 
come." 

Now, in view of the above statements of in- 
spired teachings, we are unable to explain how 
any one who believes the New Testament to be 
the revealed will of God, could be induced to 
argue that sinners cannot come to Christ until 
God sends faith into their hearts by his direct 
power, by which the heart is changed. This 
theory, so averse to the teachings of God's 
word, is the fruit of hereditary total depravity, 
an error that would have God to give saving faith 
to one sinner and withhold it from another. 
The word of God teaches that he "is no re- 
specter of persons: but in every nation he that 
feareth him and worketh righteousness is ac- 
cepted with him." Acts x: 34, 35. It also 
teaches that he "is long-suffering to usward, 



JUSTIFICATION BY FAITH. 107 

not willing* that any should perish, but that all 
should come to repentance." See 2 Pet. iii: 9. 
But repentance is the result of faith, and as it 
is the will of God that all should come to re- 
pentance, it is evident that it is his will that all 
should have faith. This being - true, if sinners 
cannot have faith until God, by his direct power, 
prepares their hearts to receive it, he surely 
will prepare the hearts of all sinners and give 
them saving- faith. But as such a doctrine is 
contrary to the teaching's of God's word, it is, 
evidently, a humanly devised theory. 

In view of the foregoing- statements of divine 
truth, we are unable to understand why any 
Bible student should fail to recognize the fact 
that the apostles often refer to two classes of 
believers, one class refusing- to accept salvation 
from sin throug-h the power bestowed upon the 
members, as in the case of the chief rulers, and 
another whose members accept salvation 
throug-h the power bestowed upon them. See 
Acts xviii: 8. 



CHAPTER X. 



THE FAITH OF GOD. 

WE have stated that the word ' 'faith ' ' some- 
times refers to the church, including- the 
gospel; i. e., it refers to the church of Christ 
as being - the system of salvation from sin di- 
vinely appointed and established by the pure 
mercy or grace of God. We understand this 
to be the faith to which Paul referred when he 
said: " Eor what if some did not believe? Shall 
their unbelief make the faith of God without 
effect? ' Rom. iii: 3. We presume that no one 
who professes to believe in Christ will deny that 
that this faith of God is the true faith by which 
sinners are justified; yet it may be denied that 
the church of God is called "the faith of God," 
or that the word "faith" ever refers to the 
church. We claim that the word of God fully 
sustains this fact, in support of which we now 
kindly invite the attention of the reader to the 
following* testimony. 

In Paul's letter to the church at Galatia, he 
said: "But the scripture hath concluded all 
108 



THE .FAITH OF GOD. 109 

under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus 
Christ might be given to them that believe. 
But before faith came we were kept under the 
law, shut up unto the faith which should after- 
wards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our 
school-master to bring- us unto Christ, that we 
might be justified by faith. But after that 
faith is come, we are no longer under a school- 
master." Gal. iii: 22-25. From this, we un- 
derstand that the faith to which Paul refers is 
that system of salvation called the church, 
which includes the gospel, the establishment of 
which abolished the law of Moses. 

We are unable to see how it could have refer- 
ence to a belief of testimony, for the law of 
Moses was to exist until this faith came, which 
we learn from the 23d verse; and from the 25th 
verse we learn that the establishment of the 
faith released all from serving the law of Moses. 
In view of these facts, it is plain that if this 
faith has reference to a belief of testimonv, sin- 
ners would be under the law of Moses until 
they believed in Christ. 

The inconsistency of such a position may be 
readily seen by reading the above scriptures, 
using the expression our belief instead of the 
word "faith," when it occurs. But with the 
understanding that this word has reference to 
the church of God, the above scripture is made 



110 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

plain to the mind, as may be shown by the fol- 
lowing: " But the scripture hath concluded all 
under sin, that the promise [of salvation] by 
faith [the church] of Jesus Christ might be 
given to them that believe. But before faith 
came [before the church was established], we 
were kept under the law [of Moses], shut up 
unto the faith [establishment of the church] 
which should afterwards be revealed. But 
after that faith is come [after the church is es- 
tablished], we are no longer under a school- 
master [law of Moses]." 

Paul, when contrasting the law of Moses and 
the law of the church, called the former the law 
of works and the latter the law of faith. See 
Rom. iii: 27. Again: " But that no man is jus- 
tified by the law [of Moses] in the sight of God, 
it is evident: for the just shall live by faith. 
And the law is not of faith." Gal. iii: 11, 12. 
What is meant by the statement of Paul when 
he said that the law was not of faith? Did he 
intend to convey the idea that those who were 
under the law of Moses had no faith in the law? 
Surely not. But, by viewing this statement of 
Paul in its proper light, it is evident that he in- 
tended to convey a very important truth to the 
minds of the brethren, namely, that the law of 
Moses was not of the promise made to Abra- 
ham, for that promise was to be fulfilled through 



THE FAITH OF GOD. Ill 

Christ, by becoming - high priest of a better 
covenant, established upon better promises. 
See Heb. viii: 6. But the promise was fulfilled 
when the church was established, and this 
church was called " the faith" by Paul. There- 
fore the law of Moses was no part of this faith, 
or church, by which all families of the earth 
were to be blessed. 

We also have the following*: "Afterwards I 
came into the regions of Syria and Cilicia, and 
was unknown by face unto the churches [con- 
gregations] of Judea, which were in Christ: but 
they had heard only that he which persecuted 
us in times past, now preacheth the faith which 
he once destroyed." Gal. i: 21-23. By read- 
ing* 1 Cor. xv : 9, we learn that the faith which 
Paul destroyed has reference to the church. 

Added to this we have the following": "And 
when they were come, and had g-athered the 
church [congregation] together, they rehearsed 
all that God had done with them, and how he 
had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles." 
Acts xiv: 27. Now it cannot be consistently 
denied that the expression, "door of faith," in 
the above, refers to the door of the church. 

We will now examine one other statement of 
divine truth on this subject. "Beloved, when 
I gfave all diligence to write unto you of the 
common salvation, it was needful for me to 



112 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

write unto you, and exhort you that ye should 
earnestly contend for the faith which was once 
delivered unto the saints." Jude 3. From this 
we learn that the followers of Christ "should 
earnestly contend for the faith." What faith? 
Evidently the faith of God. We do not under- 
stand this faith to have reference to our belief, 
but to the thing's to be believed — the things in 
which our faith should abide, which is the 
church or kingdom of God on earth and its doc- 
trines. To whom was this faith delivered? To 
the saints. How long - since? More than 
eighteen centuries ago. Who delivered this 
faith to the saints? God, through his Son. 
Did God deliver his church or king-dom to the 
saints? He did. Jesus said unto his disciples: 
"Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father's 
good pleasure to give you the king-dom." Luke 
xii: 32. "And I appoint unto you a kingdom, 
as my Father hath appointed unto me." Lmke 
xxii: 29. "Wherefore we receiving a kingdom 
which cannot be moved, let us have grace, 
whereby we may serve God acceptably, with 
reverence and godly fear." Heb. xii: 28. 

How are persons justified by the faith of God? 
An explanation of the following scriptures will 
answer this question in full. "For I am not 
ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the 
power of God unto salvation to every one that 



THE FAITH OF GOD. 113 

believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the 
Greek. For therein is the righteousness of 
God revealed from faith to faith: as it is writ- 
ten, the just shall live by faith." Rom. i: 16, 
17. We understand this to teach that the 
righteousness of God is revealed from one sys- 
tem of worship to another, as from the Jewish 
to the Christian, and when it produces faith in 
our hearts, it becomes the power of God unto 
our salvation, or we receive the power to be- 
come the sons of God. Now, when our faith in 
the righteousness of God as revealed in the gos- 
pel of Christ prompts us to accept the terms 
upon which salvation is bestowed, as recorded 
in this gospel, we enter into the faith or church 
of God, thereby accepting the gift of the grace 
of God that has appeared to all men. 

In view of the foregoing evidence on this sub- 
ject, we are forced to conclude that the church 
of God is called the "faith of God" by Paul. 
And as salvation cannot be procured without 
the faith of God, it is evident that no one can 
consistently claim to be an heir of God by faith 
outside the church of Christ. By accepting 
the faith of God, persons are justified from their 
sins, for it is faith made perfect by works, as 
described by the Apostle James. They can 
then say, as did the Apostle Paul, "But we are 
not of them who draw back unto perdition; but 
8 



114 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

of them that believe to the saving - of the soul." 
But it has been shown that such belief as the 
above is received only into honest and good 
hearts, through which it works by love. This 
being" true, such faith necessarily produces re- 
pentance, which we will endeavor to explain in 
our next article. 



CHAPTER XI. 



REPENTANCE. 

WE understand repentance to include a turn- 
ing* away from everything* that is con- 
trary- to the existing* laws of God, which neces- 
sarily leads to the acceptance of salvation upon 
the terms of the g*ospel. No person can con- 
sistently claim that he has truly repented while 
he refuses to accept these terms by which he is 
made free from sin. Therefore true repentance 
and conversion, like true faith and works, are 
inseparably connected. 

When the Jew is prompted by faith in Christ 
to reject the law of Moses and accept salvation 
throug*h the g*ospel of Christ, he has repented 
and is converted. When the Gentile is 
prompted by faith in Christ to reject any theory 
of worship that is contrary to the will of God 
and accepts salvation upon the terms of the 
g*ospel, he has repented and is converted. When 
any sinner accepts salvation upon the terms of 
the gospel, he has repented and is converted. 
True repentance toward God is the result of 

115 



116 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

true faith, and, without an exception what- 
ever, leads persons to accept salvation upon the 
terms of the gospel regardless of their own 
feelings or notions. The vilest sinner on earth 
may cease to practice gross sins and lead a 
moral life, which is a necessary step toward 
salvation, yet if he refuses to accept the gos- 
pel he cannot consistently claim that he has 
truly repented. He has only rejected one form 
of sin and accepted another. 

No true believer in God's word will deny that 
true repentance necessarily leads persons to 
obey the gospel of Christ; and no one of this 
class will deny that obedience to this gospel 
necessarily leads persons into the church of 
Christ. Hence, no person who refuses to enter 
the church of Christ by obeying from the heart 
the form of doctrine delivered him, can consist- 
ently claim to have repented. 

While true repentance is preceded by what is 
called godly sorrow for sin, yet we are led to 
the conclusion that much confusion exists in the 
minds of many with reference to this point. 

From the foregoing we conclude that when 
persons receive the word of God into honest and 
good hearts, by which they are prompted to ac- 
cept the gospel through a desire to obey God, 
they have truly repented. Paul taught that 
sinners are made free from sin and become the 



REPENTANCE. 117 

servants of righteousness in obeying* from the 
heart the form of doctrine delivered them. But 
in order to obey this form of doctrine from the 
heart, it is necessary that such obedience be 
preceded by true faith, which produces a godly 
sorrow for sin, which works a true repentance 
that leads to obedience. Hence, a repentance 
that does not lead the sinner to obey this form 
of doctrine delivered him is a deception. 

We learn that godly sorrow works repent- 
ance. See 2 Cor. vii: 10. What is godly sor- 
row? It is a sorrow that leads the sinner to 
forsake sin, and creates a desire within the 
heart to know what God Svill have him to do. 
See Acts ix: 1-6. But the sinner cannot have 
such a desire without faith in God. This is 
self-evident. To have faith in God is to have 
faith in what he says. This is also self-evident. 
But God requires the sinner to believe the rec- 
ord that he has given of his Son in order to 
have eternal life. See 1 John v: 10, 11. Hence, 
no sinner can have godly sorrow that works 
true repentance toward God, that leads to eter- 
nal life, without faith in the record that God 
has given of his Son. We therefore conclude 
that true repentance toward God that leads to 
eternal life is preceded by true faith in God 
and the record that he has given of his Son. 



CHAPTER XII. 



CONFESSION. 

WE} learn that it is necessary to confess with 
the mouth the Lord Jesus. Paul, when 
speaking- of the righteousness of faith, said : 
"But what saith it? The word is nig-h thee, 
even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, 
the word of faith, which we preach: That if 
thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord 
Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that God 
hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be 
saved. For with the heart man believeth unto 
righteousness; and with the mouth confession 
is made unto salvation." Rom. x: 8-10. 

While we understand the above to teach the 
necessity of confessing* Christ with the mouth 
previous to baptism, or unto salvation, as it is 
stated by Paul, yet, in order to receive the 
blessing's promised in obedience to this act, the 
future life must conform to the truth confessed, 
i. e., the gx>od confession must lead the sinner 
into the fold of Christ by obeying - from the 
heart the form of doctrine delivered him, and 
his daily walk as a Christian should be a living* 
118 



CONFESSION. 119 

witness, ever testifying - to the fact that his only 
hope of eternal salvation rested upon this truth 
confessed with the mouth; for upon the truth 
of this confession depends the eternal salvation 
of all human beings. 

Although this good confession may be lightly 
spoken of, even by many who profess to be fol- 
lowers of Christ, yet we learn that, as surely 
as the Lord liveth, every tong*ue will be made 
to confess this truth, although it may be to the 
condemnation of many; for it is written, "As I 
live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to 
me, and every tongue shall confess to God." 
Rom. xiv: 11. Confess what? By reading the 
12th verse of the above chapter, we learn that 
" every one of us shall give account of himself 
to God," and in Paul's letter to the Philippian 
brethren we have the following: "Wherefore 
God also hath highly exalted him [Christ], and 
given him a name which is above every name: 
that at the name of Jesus every knee should 
bow, of thing's in heaven, and things in earthy 
and things under the earth; and that every 
tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is 
Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Phil. 
ii: 9-11. 

We have now, in a brief manner, given the 
four gospel means by which sinners are led 
from under the bondage of sin into the fold or 



120 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

church of Christ. As we have stated, the 
church of Christ is the only divinely appointed 
means of salvation from sin. Faith, repent- 
ance, confession and baptism are the terms di- 
vinely appointed upon which this church is en- 
tered. Hence, it will be readily seen that bap- 
tism, preceded by faith, repentance and confes- 
sion, is the form of doctrine to be obeved from 
the heart in order to be freed from sin. 

Reader, do you desire salvation from the 
bondage of sin? Do you desire to surrender 
your allegiance to the power of Satan, the en- 
emy of God, and become one of the loyal sub- 
jects of the King - of king's and Lord of lords? 
Do you desire to rest from the many disappoint- 
ments, privations and tribulations of this life, 
and be made a happy participant in the grand 
jubilee that is to come with the return of the 
Son of God? Do you desire possessions in that 
golden city that is to come down from God out 
of heaven prepared as a bride adorned for her 
husband? Do you desire to hear that new song 
which is to be sang at the grand jubilee by the 
hundred and forty and four thousand redeemed 
from the earth? Do you desire to abide forever 
in this realm of eternal bliss in the presence of 
God, of Jesus, of the holy angels and of all the 
redeemed of earth? If so, is it not plain to 
your mind that your only hope is to accept sal- 



CONFESSION. 121 

vation by entering* the church of God upon his 
own terms as revealed in the gospel of Christ? 
With true faith in Christ and the gospel, and 
with an earnest desire to serve God, confess 
Christ with the mouth, and obey from the heart 
the "form of doctrine delivered you," by which 
you will be freed from sin and be a new creat- 
ure in Christ Jesus. 



CHAPTER XIII. 



THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM. 

IN order that this subject may be fully under- 
stood, it is necessary to consider the fact that 
no person can be justified by works in obe- 
dience to law to the extent of his salvation 
without the rig-hteousness of Christ being- im- 
puted unto him. Paul refers to this fact in his 
letter to his Roman brethren, 4th chapter. It 
is also necessary to consider the fact that obe- 
dience to God's law is required in order to re- 
ceive the benefit of the rig-hteousness of Christ. 
This truth is fully set forth by the Apostle 
James in his epistle, 2d chapter. Hence, we 
must consider the condition of Abraham as it 
would be under the law of God without the me- 
diation of Christ, as referred to by Paul in 
Rom., 4th chapter, and his condition under the 
law of God with the mediation of Christ, to 
which James refers in his epistle, 2d chapter. 
"But that no man is justified by the law in the 
sig-ht of God, it is evident; for the just shall 
live by faith." Abraham was justified by a 
faith in the promises of God that prompted him 
122 



THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM. 123 

to work for the fulfillment of the promises, 
which we will endeavor to show in the follow- 
ing - investigation. 

It has been shown in the preceding - articles 
that Christ fulfilled the law of righteousness 
whereby man was redeemed from sin, and that 
man is required to obey the form of this law, by 
which righteousness is imputed unto him, as it 
was unto Abraham. The faith of Abraham 
was a type of the faith that saves sinners in all 
ages. Without this faith it is impossible to 
please God. 

It has been shown that Abraham's faith 
prompted him to obey God in all his require- 
ments, and because of his obedience, faith was 
imputed unto him for righteousness. With ref- 
erence to this subject the Apostle James said : 
"Was not Abraham justified by works when he 
had offered Isaac, his son, upon the altar?" Jas. 
ii: 21. But it is argued by many that the sal- 
vation of Abraham was by faith without works, 
and claim that the statements of Paul found in 
his letter to his Roman brethren, 4th chapter, 
2d and 3d verses, fully sustain their assertion. 
Those who advocate this error have imbibed 
false ideas with reference to what it takes to 
constitute true faith that procures salvation 
from sin. Hence they are led to believe that 
the teachings of Paul, Rom. iv: 2, 3, contradict 



124 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

the above statement of James, and decide that 
James is wrong", or that the translation is 
wrong-. Why not decide that Paul is wrong"? 
But wh}^ not, rather, decide that both are rig"ht 
and accept the truth as it is g"iven by James, 
Paul, and other apostles of Christ? It is evi- 
dent that any theory which would have the 
apostles of Christ teaching" contradictory doc- 
trines of salvation, is erroneous. 

We now desire to investigate this subject that 
we may know the truth in reg"ard to Abraham's 
salvation or justification from sin. Paul said: 
"For if Abraham were justified by works, he 
hath whereof to glory, but not before God." 
Rom. iv: 2. By reading- the third chapter we 
learn that he contrasted the law of Moses, 
which he called the law of works, and the g"os- 
pel, which he called the law of faith, and shows 
that salvation could not be procured by the 
works of the law of Moses to the exclusion of 
the law of faith (g"ospel), but that salvation 
could be procured b} r the g-ospel to the exclu- 
sion of the law of Moses. Whv this difference? 
We will see. When Adam fell by transgression, 
all his posterity were reduced to the same fallen 
state. In this condition they were unable to 
perform any act by which to be justified from 
sin. They mig-ht worship God, yet it would 
not be accepted. Why not? Because they 



THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM. 125 

were unable to satisfy the demands of his law 
violated by Adam, which was necessary to ac- 
ceptable obedience to God. This being - true, 
no one could be justified by works without the 
demands of his violated law being - satisfied. 
Hence, the Jew could not be justified by works 
under the law of Moses of itself. Abraham 
could not be justified by works without the de- 
mands of God's law being - satisfied. These are 
the fundamental truths that Paul intended to 
convey to the minds of his Roman brethren in 
his letter in the second, third and fourth chap- 
ters. Their salvation depended upon God's law 
being - satisfied. Hence, if Abraham could have 
satisfied the demands of God's broken law by 
his works, he could have been justified by 
works, and could have gdoried, as shown by 
Paul when he said, "For if Abraham were jus- 
tified by works he hath zv hereof to glory." 
But as he could not do this, he accepted the 
promises of God througfh faith. 

"But," says one, "Abraham did accept the 
promises of God through faith, and his faith 
was counted unto him for righteousness." This 
is true, for Paul said, "For what saith the 
scripture? Abraham believed God, and it was 
counted unto him for righteousness. " Rom. iv: 
3. And James said, " Seest thou how faith 
wroug*ht with his works, and by works was 



126 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

faith made perfect? And the scripture was 
fulfilled which saith, Abraham believed God, 
and it was imputed unto him for righteousness: 
and he was called the friend of God." James 
ii: 22, 23. How was this scripture fulfilled? 
By Abraham perfecting - his faith by his works. 
Hence, we find no contradiction in this, for Paul 
teaches that Abraham's faith was counted for 
righteousness, which James does not deny; and 
James teaches that the faith of Abraham, which 
was counted unto him for righteousness, was 
perfected unto salvation by works, which Paul 
does not deny. 

But, we ask, can a person be justified from 
sin by works under the law of faith (gospel) of 
itself? He can. Why? Because Christ has 
satisfied all demands necessary to accepta- 
ble obedience under this law, and requires all 
subjects of this law to work out their own sal- 
vation "with fear and trembling. To deny this 
is to deny the plain teachings of God's word. 

From the foregoing it is evident that Paul's 
statement, Rom. iv: 2, refers to Abraham's in- 
ability to perform an act by which to be justi- 
fied without the mediation of Christ, and the 
above statements of the Apostle James refer to 
the justification of Abraham in obedience to 
law made acceptable by the blood of Christ. 
Hence James ii: 21-23 does not contradict Rom. 



THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM. 127 

iv: 2, 3. But these statements of the apostles 
in connection, show conclusively that Abraham 
was justified by faith made perfect by works. 

But in what sense was the faith of Abraham 
counted unto him for righteousness, and yet 
was justified by perfecting* his faith by his 
works? I presume that it will not be denied 
that righteousness is imputed in every act of 
acceptable service to God. Therefore, when 
the sinner believes that Christ is the Son of 
God, and believes in his death, burial and res- 
urrection, (rod counts it unto him for righteous- 
ness to the extent of this act, for he has surely 
done that which is right, yet his faith does not 
procure his salvation from sin without being 
perfected by further acts. The same may be 
said of faith in any statement of divine revela- 
tion. Hence, with reference to Abraham's 
faith, " The word of the Lord came unto him, 
saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that 
shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall 
be thine heir. And he brought him forth 
abroad, and said, Look, now, toward heaven, 
and tell the stars, if thou be able to number 
them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed 
be." Gen. xv: 4, 5. These are the words of 
the Lord that Abraham believed, which faith 
was counted unto him for righteousness, as 
shown by reading the next verse following: 



128 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

"And he believed in the Lord ; and he counted 
it to him for righteousness. " This is the script- 
ure to which Paul referred when he said, "For 
what saith the scripture? Abraham believed 
God, and it was counted unto him for right- 
eousness." God also promised Abraham that 
he would make of him a great nation, and make 
his name great, and that in him all families of 
the earth should be blessed. We presume that 
no one will deny that Abraham believed these 
promises also, and that his faith was imputed 
unto him for righteousness; yet when these prom- 
ises were made to Abraham, God said unto him, 
"Get thee out of thy country, and from thy 
kindred, and from thy father's house, unto a 
land that I will shew thee." See Gen. xii: 1. 
We learn that Abraham obeyed, " not knowing- 
whither he went." See Heb. xi: 8. Now, as 
the Apostle James said, " Seest thou how faith 
wrougfht with his works, and by works was 
faith made perfect." 

From the foregoing- facts it is evident that 
Abraham did believe in the promises of God, 
and his faith was imputed unto him for right- 
eousness to the same extent that righteousness 
is imputed unto all sinners when they believe in 
the promises of God. It is equally as incon- 
sistent to claim that the salvation of Abraham 
was procured, or that he was justified from sin 



THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM. 129 

by only believing* that God would multiply his 
seed as the stars of heaven, and that through 
his seed all families of the earth should be 
blessed, as it would be to claim that the salva- 
tion of the sinner is made secure by only be- 
lieving that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and 
that through his death all families of the earth 
are blessed. 

The promises made to Abraham were in- 
tended to lead to the establishment of the way 
of salvation through Christ, and Abraham's 
eternal salvation depended upon the fulfillment of 
those promises. To deny this would be to deny 
that Abraham was saved by the blood of Christ; 
for it was throug\h the fulfillment of the prom- 
ises that the blood of Christ was ' ' shed for 
many for the remission of sins." 

But God placed a very important part of the 
work upon Abraham, which was to lead to the 
fulfillment of those promises, and it is very ev- 
ident that if Abraham had refused to comply 
with God's requirements his faith would not 
have benefited him in regard to his salvation. 
It would have been dead. But when the Lord 
said unto him, "Get thee out of thy country," 
etc., he "obeyed, not knowing whither he 
went; " yet he believed that his obedience was 
leading to the fulfillment of the promises upon 
which his salvation depended. 
9 



130 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

When he offered Isaac, his only son, upon the 
altar, he did a work pointing* to the great offer- 
ing- of God's only Son, upon which his salva- 
tion depended. If Abraham had refused to 
offer his son upon the altar in obedience to the 
command of God, he surely would have for- 
feited all the blessing-s promised him; for God 
said: " For because thou hast done this thing", 
and hast not withheld thy son, thine only son : 
that in blessing* I will bless thee, and in multi- 
plying - I will multiply thy seed as the stars of 
the heaven and as the sand which is upon the 
sea-shore ; and thy seed shall possess the gfate 
of his enemies ; and in tlry seed shall all nations 
of the earth be blessed ; because thou hast 
obeyed my voice." Gen. xxii: 16-18. This is 
the time to which James referred when he said: 
"Was not Abraham, our father, justified by 
works when he offered Isaac, his son, upon the 
altar?" 

Now, it is very evident that Abraham's eter- 
nal justification, or salvation, depended upon 
the perfecting - of his faith by his works, which 
he did, for when he offered his son upon the 
altar, God promised him with an oath to bless 
him because he obe} r ed his voice. It is to this 
that James referred in his epistle, ii: 21-23, and 
it should be remembered that these statements 
of the Apostle James simply affirm that which 



THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM. 131 

God did promise with an oath. Hence, to claim 
that the literal teachings of James in his epistle, 
ii : 21-23, are not true, is equivalent to deny- 
ing - that which God stated with an oath. Paul, 
when he taught, as found in Rom. iv: 2, 3, that 
Abraham could not be justified by works with- 
out the mediation of Christ and faith in the 
promises of God, which has been explained, he 
did not contradict the sworn statements of God, 
as found in Gen. xxii: 16-18, and affirmed by 
the Apostle James in his epistle, second chap- 
ter. Hence, Abraham's justification, or salva- 
tion from sin, depended upon the perfecting- of 
his faith by works. And as the faith of Abra- 
ham represents the only principle upon which 
faith saves sinners, it is evident that all sinners 
who come to God are saved by faith made per- 
fect by works. 

But it is argfued by many that the doctrine of 
justification by works, as taug'ht by James, is 
refuted by Paul in his letter to the Ephesian 
brethren, 2d chapter, 8th and 9th verses. He 
said: " For by grace are ye saved through faith; 
and that not of yourselves, it is the g*ift of God. 
Not of works, lest any man should boast." 
James said: " But wilt thou know, O vain man, 
that faith without works is dead? ... ye 
see, then, how that by works a man is justified, 
and not by faith only." James ii: 20-24. Now, 



132 THE} WAY OF SALVATION. 

as James and Paul were guided by the same 
Spirit, it is evident that the above scriptures 
do not conflict, which we will endeavor to show. 

By comparing- Eph. ii: 8, 9, with the follow- 
ing" verses in the same chapter, we learn that 
those Ephesian brethren were at one time stran- 
gers from the covenants of promise, having* no 
hope, and without God in the world, but were 
made nig-h by the blood of Christ. See 12th 
and 13th verses. How did the blood of Christ 
make them nigfh ? The following" will show. 
" For he is our peace, who hath made both [Jew 
and Gentile] one, and hath broken down the 
middle wall of partition between us; having" 
abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law 
of commandments contained in ordinances: for 
to make in himself of twain one new man, so 
making" peace. . . . Now therefore ye [Gen- 
tiles] are no more strangers and foreigners, but 
fellow-citizens with the saints, and of the house- 
hold [church] of God." 14-19. 

The above scriptures evidently teach that the 
blood of Christ made those Ephesians nig"h by 
abolishing- the law of Moses, and establishing" 
his church, into which the Gentile was per- 
mitted to enter by faith as well as the Jew. It 
will be observed, that by abolishing" the law of 
Moses and establishing" the church of Christ, 
the Gentile world was made equal with the Jew 



THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM. 133 

in matters pertaining- to the worship of God 
without any condition on their part whatever. 
Hence, it is quite evident that Paul taught 
those Gentile brethren that they were saved 
from their rejected condition by the establish- 
ment of the church, without any condition on 
their part, and that they had been permitted to 
enter this church by faith, by which they and 
the Jews were made to sit together in Christ 
Jesus. See 6th verse. 

In view of these facts, the 8th and 9th verses 
are made plain. "For by grace [through the 
gospel] are ye saved through faith [in the gos- 
pel, which is the government of the church], 
and that [salvation] not of yourselves [the es- 
tablishment of the church, including the gospel, 
was not of themselves] : it is the gift of God : 
not of works, lest any man should boast." 
The church was not established by the works 
of man, but was the fulfillment of promise. 
After Abraham received the promise, he also 
received the law or covenant of circumcision ; 
but salvation came through the promise and not 
through the law. Therefore Abraham could 
not boast. 

But in the 10th verse we have the following 
information: "For we are his workmanship, 
created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which 
God hath before ordained that we should walk 



134 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

in them." God ordained that they should enter 
his church by faith and walk in good works. 
All sinners are ordained to this privilege. We 
understand these to be the works to which 
James referred when he taught that "by works 
a man is justified, and not by faith only." It 
is evident, therefore, that the expression "Not 
of works, lest any man should boast," as found 
in Eph. ii: 9, refers to the establishment of the 
church of Christ as the divinely appointed 
means of salvation from sin, while James ii: 
20-24, has reference to entering - the church upon 
the terms of the gospel after it was established. 
Hence, the above teachings of James and Paul 
do not conflict. 

The establishment of the church of God made 
both Jew and Gentile equal in matters pertain- 
ing to the worship of God, for by its establish- 
ment the Jew was released from serving the 
law of Moses, the Gentile from his rejected 
condition, and both were made subject to the 
same new law, which was called the "new cov- 
enant," "perfect law of liberty," "law of 
faith," etc. 

Now, it is evident that this new law or cov- 
enant did not bring salvation to the world be- 
cause of the works of the Jews, but it came 
purely by the grace or favor of God, and he 
justified both Jew and Gentile upon the same 



THE PAITH OF ABRAHAM. 135 

terms, which was by faith, and ordained that 
they should walk together in good works, which 
he prepared for them, b} 7 which to perfect their 
faith in order to their eternal justification or 
salvation. ' ' For by grace are ye saved through 
faith [in the means of salvation], and that 
[means of sa 1 vation] not of yourselves: it is the 
gift of God: not of works, lest any man should 
boast. For we are his workmanship, created 
in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God 
hath before ordained that we should walk in 
them." Why should we walk in these good 
works? Answer: "Ye see then how that by 
works a man is justified, and not by faith only." 

Rom. iv: 4 reads as follows: "Now to him 
that worketh is the reward not reckoned of 
grace, but of debt." This represents the wor- 
ship under the Jewish covenant. Worship 
under this covenant represented bondage, as 
servants paying a debt to the master ; whilst 
worship under the covenant of grace, or the 
gospel, represents worship as the duty of a son 
to a father. 

The Jewish covenant was a yoke that none 
were able to bear. See Acts xv: 5-10. Hence, 
the law of Moses could not of itself give life. 
See Gal. iii: 21. But by the intercession of 
Christ the Jews were released from the curse 
of the law of Moses, and all accountable beings 



136 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

to God, who lived at the time of the establish- 
ment of the covenant of grace, were made sub- 
ject to it, and were required to enter into it by 
faith. It should not be forgotten that the cov- 
enant of grace is the government of the church 
of God, which was established throug-h the 
blood of Christ, and that all sinners are re- 
quired to enter therein, as well as to have faith. 

Rom. iv: 5-8, inclusive, represents the bring- - 
ing- in of the Gentiles who did not have the law, 
but unto whom rig-hteousness was imputed 
without the works of the law of Moses. Hence, 
the , blessing's that came to the circumcision 
came also to the uncircumcision upon the same 
terms, as will be found by reading - the remain- 
der of this chapter. 

Now, in view of the foregfoing- facts, it is ver} r 
evident that God has never ordained or recog*- 
nized but one g-eneral principle by which to save 
sinners, which is obedience to law. There have 
been different orders of worship in different 
ag-es of the world by which acceptable obe- 
dience was rendered to God, which has been 
shown ; yet obedience was the g-eneral principle 
upon which salvation from sin was made to de- 
pend. Any person who lived and died a serv- 
ant of God before the establishment of the 
church, was made an heir of rig-hteousness by 
faith made perfect in obedience to the law of 



THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM. 137 

God that existed during- his life, which obedi- 
ence was made acceptable by the blood of Christ. 

The same may be said of any follower 
of Christ who has lived since the establishment 
of his church. Hence, it is evident that the 
doctrine of salvation by faith, made perfect by 
works, as in the case of Abraham, cannot be 
refuted by consistent argument. 

It has been shown that to receive the teach- 
ings of the apostles of Christ is to receive 
Christ ; and the Apostle James plainly teaches 
that a man is justified by works and not by faith 
only. It has also been shown that the teach- 
ing- of James on this subject, fully agrees with 
the sworn statements of God as found in Gen. 
xxii : 17, 18, and is not contradicted by Paul, 
as some would have it. 

All who believe in the existence of God, and 
who believe the Bible to be his revealed will to 
man, desire to be received into his everlasting- 
kingdom when he calls forth the living and the 
dead to judgment ; yet there are thousands 
professing to be followers of Christ and his 
apostles, who are forced to light against God 
in order to sustain their theories of human spec- 
ulation. They may believe that they are right 
in pursuing such a course, for many, doubtless, 
have been led to believe that certain doctrines 
are true, regardless of any evidence to the con- 



138 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

trary. Hence many believe that the doctrine of 
justification by faith only is the true doctrine 
by which salvation from sin is procured, and 
that it must be sustained even if it is literally 
denied by an apostle of Christ. They fail to 
make the proper distinction between salvation 
from the penalty T of the original sin of Adam, 
which is secured by the death and resurrection 
of Christ, and the conditional salvation of sin- 
ners from their own sins by accepting - the blood 
of Christ throug-h faith made perfect in obedi- 
ence to God's requirements, by which they are 
made recipients of the atoning* power of his 
blood. They pursue the same course when 
comparing- Paul's statements found in Eph. ii : 
8, 9, with the statements of James in his epis- 
tle, 2nd chapter, 17th to 26th verse inclusive. 
They make no distinction between the uncon- 
ditional salvation of the Gentiles from their re- 
jected condition by which they were made equal 
with the Jew, by the establishment of the 
church of Christ, as is shown by Paul, and 
their conditional salvation from their sins in 
obedience to good works which God ordained 
that they should walk in them, as shown by 
Paul in tenth verse, by which also they were 
justified, as shown by the apostle James. 

By pursuing- such a course, they fail to 
rig-htly divide the word of truth, which results 



THE FAITH OP ABRAHAM. 139 

in confusion and strife. This error is the 
source of the many isms and sub-isms that exist, 
and which are kept alive, chiefly, by teachers 
who have accepted the wisdom of this world to 
the exclusion of the wisdom of God, and offer 
to the world false theories sufficient to satisfy 
the feeling's and the fancy of all who desire a 
choice of their own in matters pertaining* to the 
worship of God regardless of his will. But 
God says with reference to all such: " But in 
vain they do worship me, teaching- for doctrines 
the commandments of men." 

We now say to those who desire salvation 
from their sins, to obey from the heart the form 
of doctrine delivered them by being - buried with 
Christ in baptism, and rise to walk a new life. 
His blood atones for all who will enter his 
church by obeying - this form from the heart. 
He entered the most holy place, and is at the 
rigfht hand of God to make intercession for his 
people. By his death, the veil of blindness 
was removed, and his church is united to the 
mercy-seat, the place that God promised to meet 
his people and bless them. He, therefore, 
promises to meet us in his church and bestow 
the blessing - of everlasting - life upon us if we 
will walk worthy of the vocation wherein we 
are called. 

When a person enters the church of God, he 



140 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

is required to work out his own salvation with 
fear and trembling-. See Phil, ii : 12- He is 
commanded to earnestly contend for the faith 
which was once delivered unto the saints in 
order to retain his rigfht to the tree of life. In 
the last chapter of God's revealed will to man 
we have the following - : "Blessed are they 
that do his commandments, that they may have 
a rig"ht to the tree of life, and may enter in 
through the g*ates into the city." Rev. xxii : 14. 
While many teach that God's chosen people 
cannot fall, yet, in Paul's letter to his brethren 
at Corinth, we find the following* admonition : 
"Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth, 
take heed lest he fall." 1 Cor. x: 12. We 
learn that some of Paul's brethren contended 
that the law of circumcision should be kept in 
order to be saved. See Acts xv. Paul, in 
his letter to the Galatian brethren said with 
reference to this subject, "Behold, I Paul say 
unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall 
profit you nothing*. For I testify ag*ain to every 
man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to 
do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect 
unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the 
law; ye are fallen from grace." Gal. v: 2-4. 
From this it is readily seen that God will not 
accept any worship that is contrary to his re- 
vealed will. Then how important that every 



THE FAITH OF ABRAHAM. 141 

member of God's kingdom guard against in- 
troducing anything into the worship not sanc- 
tioned by him. 

"But," savs one "I believe that all who will 

ml 

serve God in the best light they have, will be 
saved." We say to all such, that the gospel 
is the best light you have ; and if you refuse to 
be guided by it, you reject the only light that 
is revealed to man in the word of God by which 
to be led into eternal life. Paul said: "And 
to you who are troubled rest with us. when the 
Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with 
his might}^ angels, in flaming fire taking venge- 
ance on them that know not God, and that obey 
not the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ: Who 
shall be punished with everlasting destruction 
from the presence of the Lord, and from the 
glory of his power. 2 Thess. i : 7-9. 



CHAPTER XIV. 



HEIRS OF GOD BY ADOPTION. 

WE learn that Christ is the only begotten 
Son of God. "And the Word was made 
flesh, and dwelt among- us, (and we beheld his 
glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the 
Father,) full of grace and truth." John i: 14. 

"For God so loved the world, that he g*ave 
his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth 
in him should not perish, but have everlasting 
life. John iii: 16. 

But we learn that all of God's children are 
begotten of him. "Of his own will begat he 
us with the word of truth, that we should a 
kind of first fruits of his creatures. James i : 
18. 

But if Christ is the only begotten Son of God, 
in what sense are all his children begotten of 
him ? We answer, only in the sense of adop- 
tion. " But when the fullness of the time was 
come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, 
made under the law, to redeem them that were 
under the law, that we might receive the adop- 
tion of sons." Gal. iv : 4, 5. 
142 



HEIRS OF GOD BY ADOPTION 143 

''Having- predestinated us unto the adoption 
of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according- 
to the g-ood pleasure of his will." Eph. i : 5. 

It is therefore evident that persons become 
children and heirs of God by adoption. Per- 
sons become children and heirs by adoption 
throug-h law. When the law of adoption is 
fully satisfied by complying- with its require- 
ments, the person adopted becomes the child 
and heir of the one who adopts him, and not be- 
fore. The g-ospel contains the law of spiritual 
adoption. When a person fully complies with 
the requirements of this law, he becomes a child 
and heir of God by adoption. Paul said: "For 
thoug-h ye have ten thousand instructors in 
Christ, yet have ye not many fathers : for in 
Christ Jesus I have beg*otten } t ou throug-h the 
gospel." 1 Cor. iv : 15. 

But in what sense are persons beg-otten or 
born ag-ain when they are adopted ? 

We answer, when a person is adopted by an- 
other, he is chang-ed or passes out from one 
family, state or condition into another ; his old 
state or condition has passed away. He is now 
in a new state ; he is the child and heir of new 
parents. Hence, fig-uratively speaking-, he has 
been born ag-ain. The same may be said of the 
spiritual adoption. When a person complies 
with the spiritual law of adoption as revealed 



144 THE WAY OF SALVATION . 

in the gospel of Christ, he is changed or de- 
livered from one state into another. "For they 
themselves shew of us what manner of entering 
in we had unto you, and how ye turned to God 
from idols, to serve the living and true God ; 
And to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he 
raised from the dead, even Jesus, which deliv- 
ered us from the wrath to come." 1 Thess. i : 
9, 10. 

His old state has passed away and he is made 
a new creature in a new state. " But God be 
thanked, that ye were the servants of sin ; but 
ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doc- 
trine which was delivered you. Being then 
made free from sin, ye became the servants of 
righteousness." Rom. vi : 17, 18. 

He is now a child and heir of God. Hence he 
is born again through obedience to the spirit- 
ual law of adoption. ''Jesus answered, Verily, 
verily I say unto thee, Except a man be born of 
water, and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into 
the kingdom of God." John iii : 5. 

What is the spiritual law of adoption ? 

It is faith in what God has revealed to man 
with reference to salvation from sin through 
Christ his only begotten Son, repentance to- 
wards God, confession of Christ with the mouth 
unto salvation and a burial with him in baptism, 
which includes a rising to walk a new life. 



HEIRS OF GOD BY ADOPTION. 145 

"But," says one, "you have failed to explain 
the true change that takes place in the new- 
birth ; that the new birth is a change of heart ; 
that when the heart is changed, the person is a 
child and heir of God." 

This we deny in full. Ivet us see. 

1. By a change of heart is meant a purified 
heart. 

2. We have given four requirements of the 
spiritual law of adoption, of which faith is the 
first, and we learn that the heart is purified by 
faith. "God put no difference between us and 
them purifying their hearts by faith." Acts 
xv : 9. Hence faith is in order to purify the 
heart, and purifying the heart does not adopt 
the person, but only prepares him for adoption. 
It is God's will to adopt all sinners whose 
hearts have been purified by faith. 

3. Repentance is the second requirement of 
the spiritual law of adoption. True repentance 
is so closely connected with the two following 
requirements that it becomes positive evidence 
supporting- the fact that the heart is purified by 
faith. Hence repentance is evidence of the fact 
that the person is prepared to confess Christ 
and obey from the heart that form of doctrine 
which was delivered him. 

4. Confession is the third requirement of the 
spiritual law of adoption. Obedience to this 

10 



146 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

requirement is simply the result of true repent- 
ance, which, without an exception, prompts the 
person to receive just what God requires. And 
when he is told by the apostle of Christ, 
* ' That if thou shalt confess with the mouth the 
Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thy heart that 
God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt 
be saved," he is ready to obey, "For with the 
heart, man believeth unto righteousness ; and 
with the mouth confession is made unto salva- 
tion," and he believes the divine statement. 

5. Baptism is the fourth requirement of the 
spiritual law of adoption. Valid obedience to 
this requirement is also the result of true re- 
pentance. In this act of obedience, all who are 
prepared to become ehildren and heirs of God, 
receive the Spirit of adoption, whereby they 
cry Abba, Father. Hence, all who obey from 
the heart this form of doctrine are assured of 
their acceptance into the family of God througm 
faith in the knowledg-e of the teaching's of the 
Spirit, whereby they cry Abba, Father, or in 
other words, they rejoice in the Lord through 
faith in the promises of God to all who obey 
him. All who claim God as their Father should 
occupy grounds upon which they may be as- 
sured of the fact that God claims them as his chil- 
dren, and not be crying" Holy Father without 
authority and without a promise. 



HEIRS OF GOD BY ADOPTION. 147 

This crying- Abba, Father, by the Spirit of 
adoption, or rejoicing* in the hope of eternal life 
throug'h faith in the teachings of the Holy Spirit 
was, doubtless, a strangle sound to the unbe- 
lieving - Jews. Like the wind, they could hear 
the sound, but were confounded, because of un- 
belief. With reference to this birth of adop- 
tion, Jesus said unto Nicodemus: "Verily, 
verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born 
again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." This 
caused the idea of a natural birth in the mind of 
Nicodemus, and he asked the question, " How 
can a man be born when he is old?' "Jesus 
answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Ex- 
cept a man be born of water, and of the Spirit, 
he cannot enter into the king'dom of God. ' ' But, 
that the spiritual birth is not similar to the nat- 
ural birth, is evident from the following state- 
ment of Jesus. He said: " That which is born 
of the flesh, is flesh ; and that which is born of 
the Spirit, is Spirit." Yet Nicodemus did not 
comprehend the spiritual birth. Jesus said to 
him, "Marvel not that I said unto thee, ye 
must be born again. The wind bloweth where 
it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, 
but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither 
it goeth : so is every one that is born of the 
Spirit." 

Nicodemus could not comprehend the sound, 



148 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

or the teaching-s and rejoicing's of those who had 
become children of God by the birth of adop- 
tion, because of unbelief. For Jesus said, "If 
I have told you earthly thing's, and ye believe 
not, how shall ye believe if I tell you of heav- 
enly thing's." See John iii : 3-12. The works 
of Jesus bore witness that the Father had sent 
him, but Nicodemus and many of the Jews 
would not believe. See John v : 36-38. Hence, 
if those Jews would not believe the earthly 
thing's which bore witness of Jesus that he was 
sent of God his Father, how should they be- 
lieve that salvation in heaven was throug"h him? 
Jesus taug-ht that no man could come unto the 
Father but by him. He said: " I am the way 
and the truth, and the life : no man cometh 
unto the Father, but by me." See John xiv : 
6. This was a very strange sound to those un- 
believing - Jews who claimed that they were 
already of the Father by a natural birth, hence 
did not have to come to the Father. It was 
therefore a strang-e sound to them, to hear 
many of their Jewish brethren renouncing- the 
law of Moses under which they had been reared 
and proclaiming - a g-ospel of salvation from sin 
through Christ, teaching- that a man must be 
born ag*ain again before he could enter into 
the king-dom of heaven, and rejoicing- in the 
hope of eternal life throug-h faith in this birth 



HEIRS OF GOD BY ADOPTION. 149 

of the water and the Spirit, by which they 
were adopted into the family of God. 

Althougfh this sound was a fulfillment of 
prophecy contained in their law, many would 
not believe it, and for this reason they were 
confounded. "Wherefore also it is contained 
in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief 
corner stone, elect, precious: and he that be- 
lieveth on him shall not be confounded. " 1 Pet. 
ii : 6. "But they have not obeyed the gospel. 
For Esaias saith, Lord, who hath believed our 
report ? So then, faith comet h by hearing-, and 
hearing* by the word of God. But I say, Have 
they not heard ? Yes verily, their sound went 
into all the earth, and their words unto the 
ends of the world." Rom. x : 16-18. 

That the spiritual birth of adoption cannot 
be fully illustrated by the natural birth, is evi- 
dent from the fact that persons are made heirs 
of God by adoption, througfh obedience to law, 
by the consent of the person adopted. His spir- 
itual birth is made to depend upon his own will 
or volition. The law of adoption makes the 
child of one parent the child of another. When 
a person is born of water and of the Spirit, he 
is delivered from sin unto righteousness. 

In view of the above facts we are led to the 
conclusion that the expressions, begotten of God 
and born of water and the Spirit, are used to 



150 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

convey the same idea. We understand that 
when a person is begotten of God, he is a child 
of God. John said: "For whatsoever is born 
of God, overcometh the world : and this is the 
victor} T that overcometh the world, even our 
faith." 1 Johnv: 4. 

"We know that whosoever is born of God, 
sinneth not ; but he that is begotten of God, 
keepeth himself and that wicked one toucheth 
him not." Eighteenth verse. 

We therefore conclude that if a person is be- 
gotten or born of God, he is a child of God. 
But if he is a child of God, he is an heir of God. 
Paul said : " The Spirit itself beareth witness 
with our spirit that we are the children of God : 
And if children, then heirs : heirs of God, and 
joint-heirs with Christ." See Rom. viii : 16, 17. 

"Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but 
a son ; and if a son, then an heir of God 
through Christ." Gal. iv : 7. But persons 
become children of God in obedience to the law 
of adoption. "For ye are all the children of 
God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of 
you as have been baptized into Christ, have 
put on Christ." Gal. iii : 26, 27. Hence we 
conclude that when persons are begotten of God, 
they are children and heirs of God by adoption. 
This being true, it is plain that no person is begot- 
ten of God before he obeys the law of adoption. 



HEIRS OF GOD BY ADOPTION. 151 

But we may be told that the expression, born 
of God is an erroi ; that when this expression 
occurs it should be read, begotten of God; that 
it is so rendered in the New Version, and by all 
critics of any note, etc. While it is true that 
the above is taug"ht by many, yet we do not so 
understand it. We therefore differ from them 
on this subject. We are led to hig-hly esteem 
the teaching's of learned men in their efforts to 
elucidate the doctrines pertaining- to our salva- 
tion, so long - as they confine themselves to the 
teaching's of the plain statements of divine 
truth. But when we consider the fact that 
wise men are liable to err, and do often err, Ave 
conclude that their teaching's should be meas- 
ured by the infallible standard as well as those 
of other people. 

But we may be told that our ignorance has 
led us astray on this subject ; that if we are 
correct, all who believe that Jesus is the Christ, 
are born of God, hence in a saved condition 
whether they have been baptized or not ; for 
John said: "Whosoever believeth that Jesus 
is the Christ, is born of God.'' See 1 John v: 
1. In reply, we will state that we are willing* 
to accept the statement of John as it is g^iven 
above, and we are willing - to accept the state- 
ment as rendered in the New Version ; for both 
convey the same idea with reference to being" 



152 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

in a saved state, which cannot be consistently 
denied. But with the teachings of God's word 
before us, we are unable to decide that a person 
can be either begotten, or born of God, before 
he obeys the law of spiritual adoption, which 
includes baptism. 

While it may be argued that our position on 
this subject places all who believe that Jesus is 
the Christ in a saved condition, yet we are una- 
ble to see that their condition would be changed 
by using the expression, begotten of God, in- 
stead of the expression, born of God, unless it 
could be proven that a person may be in a con- 
dition that he does not sin, cannot sin and that 
the wicked one cannot touch him while in this 
condition, yet not in a saved condition, which 
we presume, no one will attempt to prove. 

That the above is true, is made evident by 
applying the foregoing" rule to the following 
scriptures : ' ' Whosoever is born [begotten] of 
God doth not commit sin ; for his seed remain- 
eth in him ; and he cannot sin because he is born 
[begotten] of God. " 1 John iii : 9. Yet accord- 
ing to the teachings of some, this class of per- 
sons are not in a saved state. Again: "We 
know that whosoever is born [begotten] of God 
sinneth not ; but he that is begotten of God, 
keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth 
him not." 1 John v: 18. Yet he is not in a 



HEIRS OF GOD BY ADOPTION. 153 

saved state, if he is to be judg-ed b} r the 
teachings of some. Now it is quite plain that 
if our position on this subject leads us into 
a difficulty, we find no relief by applying- the 
above rule as directed by some. Hence the diffi- 
culty with reference to 1 John v : 1, is not in- 
volved in the expression, born of God, but the 
trouble arises by failing- to recogmize the fact 
respecting - what it takes to constitute a true be- 
liever in Christ. This is made evident by con- 
sidering - the following - : ' ' Nevertheless, among- 
the chief rulers also man} T believed on him ; but 
because of the Pharisees they did not confess 
him, lest the} 7 should be put out of the s}^na- 
g-og-ue : For they loved the praise of men more 
than the praise of God." John xii : 42, 43. 
Now it is evident that 1 John v : 1, does not 
have reference to the above class. But if the 
idea conveyed by some teachers is correct, those 
chief rulers, who refused to confess Christ, and 
who loved the praise of men more than the 
praise of God, were beg-otten of God, regener- 
ated, could not sin and could not be touched by 
the wicked one. How strang-e ! Many very 
immoral persons claim that they believe on 
Christ, that he died, that he was buried and that 
he rose and ascended to his Father. They re- 
fuse to obey the g-ospel. They love sin more 
than rig-hteousness. Are they beg-otten ? Are 



154 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

they regenerated ? Are they in a condition that 
they cannot sin ? We do not so understand from 
the teaching's of God's word. We, therefore, 
decide that 1 John v : 1, does not refer to this 
class of persons. 

"Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ 
is born of God : and every one that loveth him 
that beg*at, loveth him also that is begfotten of 
him." Now it is quite evident that the above 
has reference to brotherly love. From this we 
understand that every one that loveth God 
loveth those who are begotten of God ; or in 
other words, all who love God, love the breth- 
ren. This being- true, when a person is begfot- 
ten of God he is a brother ; and if he is a brother 
he has been born of water and the Spirit. Hence 
the expressions begotten of God, born of God, 
and born of water and the Spirit have reference 
to persons in a saved state. 

We understand the above statement and the 
following - , to refer to the same class of persons. 
"Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son 
of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God." 
1 John iv : 15. We do not understand the above 
to include all who may say that Jesus is the 
Son of God. To claim this, would be contrary 
to reason and the revelation of God. 

Paul said : "Wherefore I g-ive you to under- 
stand, that no man speaking- by the Spirit of 



HEIRS OF GOD BY ADOPTION. 155 

God, calleth Jesus accursed : and that no man 
can say that Jesus is the Lord, but by the Holy 
Ghost." 1 Cor. xii: 3. 

Why cannot a man call Jesus accursed by the 
Spirit of God ? 

Because it is contrary to the directions of the 
Spirit. 

Why cannot a man say that ' ' Jesus is the 
Lord, but by the Holy Ghost? " 

Because no man knows that Jesus is the Lord 
but by the directions of the Holy Ghost. 

But to confess Christ by the directions of the 
Holy Spirit includes a walk in life which con- 
forms to the truth confessed. Such confession 
includes obedience to the directions of the Spirit. 
Faith without works is dead, because it is not 
by the directions of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit 
does not require any one to have faith only, in 
order to salvation. The same may be said with 
reference to confessing - Christ. Confession with- 
out works is dead, because it is not by the direc- 
tions of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit does not 
require anyone to confess Christ without works, 
in order to salvation. It is quite evident, there- 
fore, that to simply confess that Jesus is the 
Christ is not by the directions of the Holy Spirit. 
Hence persons who simply confess that Jesus 
is the Christ, are not included in the statements 



156 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

of the Apostle John as found in his 1st epistle iv: 
15, and v : 1. 

The spiritual begetting- and birth, like true 
faith and works, are inseparably connected. 
Faith without works is imperfect, because it 
will not save. It is dead. Faith followed by 
works is perfect faith, because it will save. 
Faith is made perfect by works. When a 
person becomes a child of God in obeying- 
the spiritual law of adoption, his faith is 
made perfect, and he is required to continue in 
this faith, for it is the only faith that will save. 
Spiritual begfetting- is the result of perfect faith. 
When a person perfects his faith he is beg-otten 
of God and spiritual birth is the result. It is 
equally as inconsistent to talk about drawing- a 
line of distinction between spiritual beg-etting* 
and birth, as it is to talk about drawing- a line 
of distinction between perfect faith and obedi- 
ence. The spiritual birth is readily understood 
when we consider the fact that persons are 
made children and heirs of God by adoption, 
that God g-ave the law by which they are 
adopted and that they are required to obey this 
law in order to become the adopted children of 
God. 



CHAPTER XV. 



HOW TO AVOID APOSTASY. 

IT has been shown in the preceding- articles 
that Christ, by his death and resurrection, 
redeemed mankind from the penalty of the orig- 
inal sin without any conditions on the part of 
man. Christ did all that was required to se- 
cure redemption from this penalty. It has also 
been shown that Christ, by the shedding- of his 
blood, devised a way by which all who partake 
of sin when they become accountable to God 
for their acts, may be redeemed from the bond- 
age of sin on conditions of obedience to the g*os- 
pel, by which they are led into the church of 
God. 

We have thus far explained two distinct sal- 
vations as revealed in God's word — one being* 
unconditional on the part of the creature, and 
the other conditional. The attention of the 
reader is now invited to a third salvation, which 
is salvation in heaven. This salvation is insep- 
arably connected with salvation from sin, and 
is also conditional on the part of the creature, 

157 



158 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

depending- upon his faithful walk in life after 
he has been redeemed from sin by entering* the 
church of God. 

It has been shown that persons may fall or 
forfeit their right to eternal life after they 
have been redeemed from their condemnation in 
sin. In order to avoid apostasy, all who have put 
on Christ are required to add to their faith, vir- 
tue. By this, we understand that they are re- 
quired to possess moral courage sufficient to en- 
able them to walk worthy of the vocation where- 
in they are called, earnestly contending- for the 
faith of God as revealed in the gospel of Christ. 

But they are requiied to add to their virtue, 
knowledge. What knowledge ? The knowl- 
edge of the revealed will of God evidently, 
which is the wisdom of God. A knowledge of 
the word of God is the knowledge that makes 
one wise unto salvation ; and it is foolishness 
with God to attempt to worship him throug-h 
any means devised by man, which is called the 
wisdom of this world. Without this knowl- 
edge of the revealed will of God any one is lia- 
ble to be "carried about with divers and strange 
doctrines" averse to the teachings of God's re- 
vealed will, holding- forth a form of g-odliness, 
but denying the power that God has ordained 
for the salvation of the world.- Hence, a person 
may possess much of the wisdom of this world, 



HOW TO AVOID APOSTASY. 159 

and enroll his name among- the wise in art, 
science and general literature, yet, if he fails to 
acquire a knowledge of God's revealed will to 
man with reference to his salvation, but is led 
to accept humanly devised means as acceptable 
service to God, his life will be a life of vanity. 
Such a life is foolishness with God. "And 
again, The Lord knoweth the thoughts of the 
wise, that they are vain." 1 Cor. iii: 20. 

But all who have put on Christ are required 
to add to knowledge, temperance. Without 
temperance, all the knowledg'e that may be ob- 
tained will not benefit any one after death. In- 
temperance, in a scriptural sense, is the de- 
stroyer of that which is good and acceptable in 
any act or vocation in life. Paul said: "And 
every man that striveth for the mastery is tem- 
perate in all things. Now they do it to obtain 
a corruptible crown ; but we an incorruptible. 
I therefore so run, not as uncertainly ; so ng'ht 
I, not as one that beateth the air ; but I keep 
under my body, and bring it into subjection : 
lest that by any means when I have preached 
to others, I myself should be a cast-away." 1 
Cor. ix: 25-27. From this we learn that Paul 
kept himself in subjection to the will of God by 
being temperate in all things. It is also evi- 
dent that a person may preach ' ' the unsearch- 
able riches of Christ," by which others may be 



160 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

saved, and himself be a cast-away by being* in- 
temperate in his daily walk through life. 

But all who have put on Christ are required 
to add to temperance, patience. We learn that 
the promises are inherited throug'h faith and 
patience. "And we desire that every one of 
you do shew the same diligence to the full as- 
surance of hope unto the end : that ye be not 
slothful, but followers of them who through 
faith and patience inherit the promises." Heb. 
vi: 11, 12. All of God's people should have 
full assurance of hope unto the end. The\ T 
should ever wait with patience for the second 
appearing* of Christ, their Savior, who has gone 
to prepare a place for them, and to return to re- 
ceive them unto himself, so that they may ever- 
more be with the Lord. Should he not come 
before their bodies are consigned to the silent 
grave, they should patiently endure, and, like 
the patriarchs and prophets of old, they should 
meet death with full assurance that he is able 
to fulfill the promises. ' ' For if we believe that 
Jesus died and rose again, even so them also 
which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him." 
' ' For the Lord himself shall descend 
from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the 
archangel, and with the trump of God : and the 
dead in Christ shall rise first. Then we which 
are alive and remain shall be caught up to- 



HOW TO AVOID APOSTASY. 161 

gether with them in the air: and so shall we ever 
be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort ye one 
another with these words." 1 Thess. iv: 14—18. 
What thrilling- words of comfort to all of God's 
people ! 

But they must also be "patient in tribula- 
tion ;" for we learn that they "must through 
much tribulation enter into the kingdom of 
God." See Acts xiv: 22. Many perplexing 
events occur through life that have a tendency 
to overcome the patience of the saints ; but they 
should lay aside every weight and the sin which 
doth so easily beset them, and run with patience 
the race that is set before them. 

But they are required to add to patience, god- 
liness. We understand that godliness consists 
in doing the will of God through the faith which 
worketh by love. We learn that a person may 
have a form of godliness that will not be ac- 
cepted. See 2 Tim. iii: 1-5. We also learn 
from this scripture that those who have this 
form deny the power of true godliness. What 
is the power of true godliness ? By reading 
what follows the above in this chapter, the an- 
swer is plain. Paul, continuing his descrip- 
tion of those who denied this power, said : 
"Ever learning and never able to come to a 
knowledge of the truth." 7th verse. And in 
the 16th and 17th verses he said : "All scrip- 
11 



162 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

ture is given by inspiration of God, and is 
profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correc- 
tion, for instruction in righteousness : that the 
man of God may be perfect, thoroughly fur- 
nished unto all good works.' 1 But this script- 
ure is the truth of the gospel, and the gospel is 
the power of God unto salvation to every one 
who believes. It is evident, therefore, that the 
gospel is the power of godliness which Paul 
said would be denied in the last days by per- 
sons having a form of godliness. 

In Paul's charge to Timothy he said: "I 
charge thee therefore before God and the Lord 
Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and 
the dead at his appearing and his kingdom, 
preach the word ; be instant in season, out of 
season : reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long- 
suffering and doctrine. For the time will come 
when they will not endure sound doctrine ; but 
after their own lusts shall they heap to them- 
selves teachers, having itching ears. And they 
shall turn away their ears from the truth, and 
shall be turned unto fables." 2 Tim. iv: 1-4. 
The above, while it sets forth the duties of 
God's people, fully describes the class of per- 
sons who have a form of godliness, but deny 
the power of the gospel of Christ, and turn 
unto fables or the imaginations of their own 
own minds. 



HOW TO AVOID APOSTASY. 163 

But all who have put on Christ are required 
to add to godliness, brotherly kindness. In 
Paul's letter to the Roman brethren he ex- 
horted them to "be kindly affectioned one to 
another with brotherly love ; in honor prefer- 
ring one another." Rom. xii: 10. It is also 
required to ' 'let brotherly love continue. ' ' Heb. 
xiii: 1. When it ceases, divisions arise, creating* 
unholy strife, working - destruction to the house- 
hold of God. Envy and pride are made promi- 
nent actors in this unholy work. The g-olden 
chain that unites the hearts of the people of 
God is broken, and many who with mouth con- 
fessed a meek and lowly Savior are made to bow 
before the shrine of vanity. "Nevertheless, 
the foundation of God standeth sure, having* 
this seal, the Lord knoweth them that are his. 
And, Let every one that nameth the name of 
Christ depart from iniquity." 2 Tim. ii: 19. 

But all who have put on Christ are required 
to add to brotherly kindness, charity. The ne- 
cessity of having" faith and hope has been shown, 
but by reading- 1 Cor. xiii: 13, we learn that 
charity is greater than faith and hope. Paul 
said: "And thoug-h I have all. faith, so that I 
could remove mountains, and have-not charity, 
I am nothing-. And thoug"h I bestow all my 
g-oods to feed the foor, and thoug-h I g-ive my 
body to be burned, and have not charity, it 



164- THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

profiteth me nothing - ." Hence, charity is more 
than simply giving- to the poor. Charity will 
suffer reproach and persecution, and yet be 
kind. It has no envy, but rejoices in the hap- 
piness of others. ' ' Charity vaunteth not itself, 
is not puffed up," but is humble and ever ready 
to lift up the fallen. It " doth not behave itself 
unseemly," but acts with discretion. "Seeketh 
not her own," to the detriment of the good of 
others. "Is not easily provoked," but turns 
away from anger and gives a soft anwer. 
"Thinketh no evil," but strives to do good. 
" Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the 
truth." Such is the charity that is required 
by the word of God. See 1 Cor. xiii. It is the 
last link of the golden chain that lifts poor 
mortals from earth to heaven. 

We have now g-iven the means by which all 
of God's people may render acceptable obe- 
dience to his will and enter into everlasting life. 
For we have the following from the Apostle 
Peter: "And besides this, giving all diligence, 
add to your faith virtue ; and to virtue knowl- 
edge ; and to knowledge temperance ; and to 
temperance patience ; and to patience godliness ; 
and to godliness brotherly kindness ; and to 
brotherly kindness charity. For if these things 
be in you, and abound, they make you that ye 
shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the 



HOW TO AVOID APOSTASY. 165 

knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. But he 
that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot 
see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was 
purged from his old sins. Wherefore the 
rather, brethren, give diligence to make your 
calling and election sure : for if ye do these 
things, ye shall never fall : for so an entrance 
shall be ministered unto you abundantly into 
the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior 
Jesus Christ." 2 Pet. i: 5-11. 

But as the above work is for the perfecting 
of the body of Christ, we will note, to some 
extent, the divine appointments through which 
this work is to be done, as we understand them 
to be revealed by the gospel. 

We understand that the body of the church 
of Christ includes the members of the various 
congregations who have obeyed the gospel to 
the extent of being made heirs of God in obe- 
dience to the law of spiritual adoption, and who 
convene from time to time in order to edify one 
another, and to perform other duties required in 
a congregated capacity. In order that this 
work might be begun and continued as the Lord 
has directed, we learn that certain classes of 
individuals were appointed to this work. ' 'And 
God hath set some in the church, first, apostles ; 
secondarily, prophets ; thirdly, teachers ; after 
that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, 



166 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

governments, diversities of tongues." 1 Cor. 
xii: 28. "And he gave some, apostles; and some, 
prophets ; and some, evangelists ; and some, pas- 
tors and teachers ; for the perfecting of the 
saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edi- 
f} T ing of the body of Christ : till we all come in 
the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of 
the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the 
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ ; 
that we henceforth be no more children, tossed 
to and fro, and carried about with every wind 
of doctrine, by the sleight of men, and cunning 
craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive ; 
but speaking the truth in love, may grow up 
into him in all things, which is the head, even 
Christ." Eph. iv: 11-15. 

Now as all of the above classes did not con- 
tinue^to exist in the church, for some were or- 
dained to the work of establishing the laws of 
the church by which the body was to be gov- 
erned, and some of the gifts were to produce 
evidence upon which to predicate faith, after 
they had performed their mission they ceased to 
exist. Yet it is quite evident that some of the 
above classes continue to exist, for they were 
given to edify till we all come unto the perfect 
man in Christ, that we be no more children 
tossed to and fro, and carried about with every 
wind of doctrine, etc., and this cannot be said 



HOW TO AVOID APOSTASY. 167 

to be fulfilled while the church contains babes 
in Christ, who need to be fed with milk. Hence, 
we conclude that the above gifts and appoint- 
ments were divided into two classes, namely, 
those which were to establish the government 
of the church and produce the evidence of its 
authority, after which they were to cease to 
exist ; and those which were to continue until 
all who enter the church were made perfect in 
Christ. 

But it is evident that in the first age of the 
church, the above classes were appointed to 
their work by a direct power from God, for his 
last will was not revealed to man. Hence they 
were g'uided in their work by a direct power of 
the Holy Spirit, which power sometimes fol- 
lowed the laying on of hands. But after his 
will was revealed to the world, and miracles 
ceased to be performed, a knowledge of this re- 
vealed will was all that was necessary to pre- 
pare those who were to continue in the work of 
edifying the church and performing other nec- 
essary duties, as we understand from its teach- 
ings. 

Now, as the object of the operation of the 
Spirit in the first age of the church was to con- 
fer wisdom heretofore unrevealed, and power to 
perform miracles, preparatory to a work made 
necessary to the establishment and to the con- 



168 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

tinuance of the government of the church, and 
as this power was sometimes conferred through 
the laying- on of hands, we conclude that when 
the order of receiving" such wisdom and power 
by a direct operation of the Spirit ceased, the 
laying* on of hands ceased also. But as the 
power of performing - miracles ceased, and as the 
wisdom by which the church is to be governed 
is revealed to man, it is evident that the wis- 
dom which was conferred by a direct operation 
of the Spirit in the first ag-e of the church has 
not ceased, but the manner in which it was con- 
ferred has ceased. Hence, the class of individ- 
uals who were to exist in the church as evan- 
gelists, pastors and teachers for the perfecting- 
of the saints, for the work of the ministry and 
for the edifying- of the body of Christ, are to 
receive, and to be directed by the same wisdom 
that was received from the Spirit in the first 
ag-e of the church, but is not received as the 
apostles received it. 

In view ci the foreg-oing- facts on this sub- 
ject, we are led to the conclusion that the g*os- 
pel of Christ takes the place of the apostles as 
pertains to life and g-odliness, and not the 
** parsons," so-called, pastors, etc., for it re- 
veals to man the wisdom that was revealed to 
the apostles by the Spirit. Hence, we need 
only those teachers appointed to the work of 



HOW TO AVOID APOSTASY. 169 

edifying- the body of Christ by the inspired 
teaching's of God's revealed will. We under- 
stand that such teachers were appointed to this 
work in the various congregations by the direc- 
tions of the inspired apostles. Paul said to 
Titus, "For this cause left I thee in Crete, 
that thou shouldst set in order the thing's that 
are wanting-, and ordain elders in every city, as 
I had appointed thee." Tit. i: 5. By reading- 
the description of those elders, we learn that 
they were the teachers appointed " for the work 
of the ministry, for the edifying- of the body of 
Christ," as directed by the teaching-s of the 
gospel, and that such teachers were to exist in 
the various congreg-ations of the church of 
Christ till all babes in Christ grow " unto the 
measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. ' ' 
Hence, each congreg-ation should have elders ap- 
pointed to all the work necessary to their edifi- 
cation and instruction as pertains to their walk 
in g-odliness. They should be prepared to re- 
ceive members into the fold of Christ at all 
times, and not be led to accept the unscriptural 
idea that the door of the church is closed ag-ainst 
the sinner until the preacher comes on his 
monthly circuit, or until the big; meeting-, held 
once or twice a year. How strang-e the fact 
that such an idea exists among- many, and is 
even supported by the conduct and teaching's of 



170 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

many who profess to be true proclaimers of the 
gospel of Christ ! 

But it may be argued that elders should not 
be appointed by the consent of the congrega- 
tion, but that they should grow into this ap- 
pointment through age and the study of the 
scriptures. While we freely admit that per- 
sons should grow to this appointment in the 
manner stated above, yet the} T cannot grow into 
this appointment as duty demands, without the 
will or consent of the members. If a person 
should assume such a work, he would be liable 
to create strife rather than peace. Paul said : 
"And we beseech you, brethren, to know them 
which labor among you, and are over you in the 
Lord, and admonish you ; and to esteem them 
very highly in love for their work's sake. And 
be at peace among yourselves." 1 Thess. v: 
12, 13. But we conclude that if the members 
of a congregation should know those who are 
over them in the Lord, and should highly es- 
teem them in love for their work, such work 
should be performed by the will and consent of 
those who are required to know and esteem 
them. We are led to understand that the ap- 
pointment by the consent of the members of a 
congregation does not create an elder, but is the 
reception of his appointment to a scriptural 
duty which belongs to him as an elder in the 



HOW TO AVOID APOSTASY. 171 

church of Christ. "And when they had or- 
dained them elders in every church, and had 
prayed with fasting-, they commended them to 
the Lord, on whom they believed." Acts 
xiv: 23. 

From the above we understand that thev or- 
dained elders to perform a work required in the 
churches or congregations, not that they were 
made elders by the appointment. They were 
elders before they were appointed. This is 
proven by the qualifications necessary to the ap- 
pointment of a bishop or deacon. See 1 Tim. 
iii: 1-13. We presume that no one will arg*ue 
that these qualifications were received throug^h 
the ordination. But it is evident from the 
teaching of the 6th verse of the chapter above 
referred to, that a person must be an elder in 
order to be ordained to the office of a bishop or 
deacon. 

We do not understand that all elders are 
equally qualified for the same work ; yet there 
is work for all elders, as we understand from 
reading - 1 Cor. xii: 28-31. There is a general 
work belong-ing- to all elders, and a special work 
appointed to some. All elders do not labor in 
the word and doctrine. "Let the elders that 
rule well be counted worthy of double honor, 
especially they who labor in the word and doc- 
trine. 1 Tim. v: 17. By this we understand 



172 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

that all elders who even ruled well did not pub- 
licly proclaim the gospel, yet they were to be 
counted worthy of double honor. Hence, every 
church or congregation should set apart its 
elders for the work necessary to its peace and 
edification. 

Some may say, "While we admit that such 
was the order in the first age of the church, it 
is not so now ; that inspiration has ceased ; that 
we do not believe in uninspired man having the 
rule over the church," etc. In reply, we would 
state that the inspiration of God has not ceased ; 
that the gospel of Christ is given by his inspi- 
ration ; that uninspired man is to be controlled 
by this inspiration ; and that when uninspired 
man directs and controls others by the teach- 
ings of this inspiration, the} 7 are directed and 
controlled by the inspiration of God. Those 
who direct and control others by the teachings 
of God's word are to be esteemed in love — not 
for what they may claim to be, not for any posi- 
tion they may claim to occupy, but ' ' for their 
work's sake." 

But we may be told that all the members of 
the church of Christ are priests to God. But 
we should not forget that the babes in Christ 
belong to the same kingdom of priests ; that 
the} 7 are permitted to approach the mercy seat 
of God and offer for themselves the blood of 



HOW TO AVOID APOSTASY. 173 

Jesus as well as any other priest ; yet they need 
to be fed with "the sincere milk of the word, 
that they may grow thereby." 

Peter said to the elders: "Feed the flock of 
God which is among- you, taking- the oversight 
thereof, not by constraint [force], but wi 1 lingly ; 
not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind ; neither 
as being- lords over God's heritage, but being- 
ensamples to the flock. And when the chief 
Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown 
of g*lory that fadeth not away." 

We therefore decide that each congreg-ation 
of the church of Christ should perform the 
service that God has enjoined upon it, by 
yielding to his appointments as set forth in his 
revealed will for the perfecting- of the body of 
Christ. 



CHAPTER XVI. 



OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT. 

WE believe, that the Bible is the word of 
God, and contains all that is known and 
all that is necesssary to be known with refer- 
ence to salvation ; that implicit faith in his 
word as revealed in the Bible, is the onlv faith 
that leads sinners to acceptable obedience to 
God ; that this word was revealed to man by a 
direct operation of the Spirit of God, and that 
this direct operation of the Spirit was not to re- 
mit the sins of those to whom the Spirit was sent, 
but was to reveal the means through which re- 
mission of sins could be procured. Therefore, 
to receive a direct operation of the Spirit is to 
receive power and wisdom from God, that the 
recipient of this power may be enabled to per- 
form that which God requires. It may be for 
the purpose of teaching- the way of salvation, 
or it may be for some other purpose. When 
the Lord prepared Bezaleel for the work of the 
Jewish tabernacle, he said: "And I have filled 
him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, and in 
understanding*, and in knowledg-e, and in all 
174 



OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT. 175 

manner of workmanship,' ' etc. Ex. xxxi: 3. 
We also have the following-: "But truly I am 
full of power by the Spirit of the Lord, and of 
judgment, and of mig*ht, to declare unto Jacob 
his transgression, and to Israel his sin. Mic. 
iii: 8. 

We understand that the office of the Spirit 
is to teach, direct and comfort, as pertaining - to 
salvation. Jesus, when speaking* to his apos- 
tles upon one occasion, said: "But the Com- 
forter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the 
Father will send in my name, he shall teach 
you all thingfs, and bring* all thing's to your re- 
membrance, whatsoever I have said unto you." 
John xiv: 26. 

With this understanding*, we will examine a 
few statements in the word of God. The chil- 
dren of Israel, who had assembled to read and 
hear the law, when speaking* of the many mer- 
cies of God, said : " Thou g*avest also thy g*ood 
Spirit to instruct them," etc. See Neh. ix: 20. 
We learn from this that God g*ave his Spirit to 
his people in order to instruct them, and if we 
can learn in what manner the Spirit instructed 
them, we may know with certainty how the 
Spirit operates in the salvation of sinners. 

The first thing* to be considered is the fact, 
made evident by the foreg*oing* statements of 
divine truth, that the Spirit, by a direct opera- 



176 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

tion, first taught by conferring- power and wis- 
dom from God, and that this power was con- 
ferred upon a chosen few, that they might be 
enabled to teach others the will of God. By 
reading- the 11th chapter of Numbers, we learn 
that Moses, who was the leader of God's chosen 
people, and who had received the power of the 
Spirit to enable him to direct the people in 
obedience to the law which God delivered unto 
him, complained of the burden which had been 
placed upon him. God commanded him to se- 
lect seventy of the elders of Israel, and bring- 
them unto the tabernacle of the congreg-ation. 
And he said : "I will come down and talk with 
thee there ; and I will take of the Spirit which 
is upon thee, and will put it upon them : and 
they shall bear the burden of the people with 
thee, that thou bear it not thyself alone." 

From this it is evident that God taug-ht and 
directed the children of Israel by his Spirit 
througfh Moses, assisted by the seventy elders, 
who had received a direct operation of the Spirit 
by which they were enabled to assist Moses in 
teaching- and leading- them unto their salvation. 
In view of the above testimony it is also evi- 
dent that the power of the Spirit of God was 
directly conferred upon a chosen few in order 
to enable them to teach others the requirements 
of God. Hence, this direct operation of the 



OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT. 177 

Spirit was not in order to the remission of the 
sins of those upon whom this power was con- 
ferred. 

We now invite the attention of the reader to 
the teaching-s of Christ and his apostles on this 
subject. Those apostles were the few whom 
Jesus had chosen out of the world in order to 
bear the gflad tidings of salvation to the world 
by the power of the Spirit of God. "And he 
said unto them, Thus it is written, and thus it 
behooved Christ to suifer, and to rise from the 
dead the third day : and that repentance and 
remission of sins should be preached in his 
name among all nations, beginning- at Jerusa- 
lem. And ye are witnesses of these things. 
And behold, I send the promise of my Father 
upon you ; but tarry ye in the city of Jerusa- 
lem until ye be endued with power from on 
high." Luke xxiv: 46-49. 

We will now g-o to Jerusalem and learn how 
this power was conferred upon them. 

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully 
come, thev were all with one accord in one 
place. And suddenly there came a sound from 
heaven, as of a rushing- mig-hty wind, and it 
filled all the house where they were sitting*. 
And there appeared unto them cloven tong-ues 
like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And 
they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and 
12 



178 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit 
gave them utterance." Acts ii: 1-4. 

From this we learn that the apostles were 
filled with the Holy Ghost, which gave them 
wisdom and power from God by a direct opera- 
tion of the Hol3 T Spirit, as in the case of Micah, 
Bezaleel and others that have been mentioned. 
What power did they receive? The power 
to teach God's love to a sinful world, and to 
direct them into the way of salvation. For 
they received the power of God unto salvation 
(gospel), which is the wisdom of God. 

All who receive the teachings of the Spirit 
as dictated to the apostles, receive the Spirit 
in the same sense that God's people did under 
the teachings of Moses and others appointed 
by the Spirit to do this work. Jesus said upon 
one occasion, " It is the Spirit that quickeneth ; 
the flesh profiteth nothing : the words that I 
speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are 
life." John vi: 63. It is evident, therefore, 
that when persons are guided by the teachings 
of Christ and his apostles, they are guided by 
the Holy Spirit. Hence, to receive the words 
of Christ and his apostles is to receive the 
Spirit of God. 

This being true, it is very evident that the 
Spirit directs sinners into the way of salvation 
through the teaching's of the apostles as found 



OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT. 179 

in the gospel of Christ. And as we have no 
other way revealed in God's word by which the 
Spirit directs sinners, we conclude that the 
Spirit operates upon the hearts of sinners only 
through the word of truth as revealed in this 
gospel. 

But the office of the Spirit is to comfort as 
well as to teach and direct, and Jesus prom- 
ised that this comforter would abide with 
his people forever. "And I will pray the 
Father, and he shall give you another Com- 
forter, that he mav abide with vou forever." 
John xiv: 16. We understand that the comfort 
of the Spirit is made manifest by his teach- 
ings. It is the many precious promises con- 
tained in the gospel to all of God's people, who 
are made to sit together in heavenly places in 
Christ Jesus, by faith in the teachings of the 
Holy Spirit, made perfect in obedience to his 
directions. 

How are persons to know that they are made 
partakers of the promises of the Spirit as re- 
vealed by the gospel ? They know this by the 
spirit that dwells in them. "Now, if any man 
have not the spirit of Christ, he is none of his." 
See Rom. viii: 9. From this it is evident the 
spirit of Christ is the Comforter that was 
promised. He also said with reference to the 
Comforter, that he is " even the spirit of truth ; 



180 THK WAY OF SALVATION. 

whom the world cannot receive, because it 
seeth him not, neither knoweth him [the world 
did not know Christ, and could not receive him. 
See John i: 10, 11], but ye know him [they knew 
Christ], for he dwelleth with you, and shall be 
in you. I will not leave you comfortless : I will 
come to you." John xiv: 17, 18. Hence, it is 
plain that Christ is the Comforter, even the 
Spirit of Truth which w r ould come to them and 
be in them. Paul said: "And if Christ be in 
you, the body is dead because of sin, but the 
spirit is life because of rig-hteousness." Rom. 
viii: 10. B}^ comparing- this verse with the pre- 
ceding 1 , it will be seen that to have the spirit of 
Christ is to have Christ. 

How may we know when we have the spirit 
of Christ? Paul, in his letter to the Corinth- 
ian brethren, said: "For who hath known the 
mind of the Lord, that he may instruct him? 
But we have the mind of Christ." 1 Cor. ii: 
16. By comparing- this with the 12th and 13th 
verses, we conclude that when we have the 
mind of Christ we have the spirit of Christ. 
It is with the mind that we serve the Lord. 
" Serving the Lord with all humility of mind," 
etc. See Acts xx: 19. "So, then, with the 
mind I myself serve the law of God ; but with 
the flesh the law of sin." See Rom. vii: 25. 
Hence, we serve the Lord with the mind of 



OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT. 181 

Christ. The mind of Christ led to obedience 
to the will of his Father in all things required 
of him, even to the death of the cross, which 
obedience was prompted by perfect love. There- 
fore when a person submits to the law of Christ, 
as revealed in his gospel, with an honest and 
good heart, he has the mind of Christ. For 
Jesus said: "If ye keep my commandments ye 
shall abide in my love ; even as I have kept my 
Father's commandments, and abide in his love." 
John xv : 10. 

But the commandments of Christ compose 
the law of the mind of Christ, which is also the 
law of all who have the mind of Christ. Paul 
said: "But I see another law in my members 
warring- ag*ainst the law of my mind," etc. See 
Rom. vii: 23. Paul had the mind of Christ, and 
the law of his mind was the law of God ; for he 
said: "So, then, with the mind I myself serve 
the law of God." See 25th verse. This law 
of the mind is also the law of the Spirit of life. 
"For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ 
Jesus hath made me free from the law of sin 
and death." Rom. viii: 2. 

This law of the mind is the new covenant 
that God said he would write in the minds of 
his people. See Heb. x: 16. It is the law that 
was written in the minds of the apostles by the 
Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, as Jesus 



182 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

had promised, and is called the gospel of Christ. 
This g'ospel is spirit because it is words of the 
Spirit of Christ, through which eternal life is 
obtained. Jesus said : "The words that I speak 
unto you they are spirit and they are life." 
When a person is prompted to accept the gos- 
pel through faith, he accepts the power of God 
unto salvation, for Paul said: "I am not 
ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the 
power of God unto salvation to every one that 
believeth." See Rom. i: 16. When he accepts 
the g-ospel he accepts the grace of God unto sal- 
vation, for the gospel is the grace of God that 
brought salvation to all men, teaching them 
how to live in this present world. See Tit. ii: 
11, 12. When a person accepts the gospel he 
accepts the Holy Spirit unto salvation, for the 
gospel is the power of the Spirit unto salva- 
tion. Paul said his preaching was in demon- 
stration of the Spirit and of power. See 1 Cor. 
ii: 4. Hence, when a person has the teachings 
of the gospel implanted in the heart, he has the 
grace of God, Christ and the Holy Spirit. 

It is only in this sense that any one can con- 
sistently claim that Christ is in him. Jesus 
said : "I and my Father are one." John x: 30. 
They were one in mind or purpose, evidently, 
and in this sense we understand Jesus when he 
said, "At that day ye shall know that I am in 



OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT. 183 

my Father, and ye in me, and I in you." John 
xiv: 20. Hence, persons can be in Christ and 
have Christ in them only by having - the mind of 
Christ, which is a mind that accepts what God 
requires and rejects that which is contrary to 
his will. 

We have shown that when persons enter the 
church of Christ by obeying - from the heart the 
form of doctrine delivered them, they become 
one in the body of Christ ; and as they have the 
mind of Christ, it is evident that they are one 
in mind and body — not one mind and many 
bodies, as some endeavor to show by their 
teaching's. Hence, it is plain that we may know 
if we have the spirit of Christ. 

In view of the foregoing* evidence, we are 
forced to conclude that the Spirit operates upon 
the hearts of sinners through his teaching's, 
which is the gospel. When sinners accept sal- 
vation upon the terms of the g*ospel, they be^ 
come members of the body of Christ ; and be- 
cause they are sons, God sends forth his Spirit 
into their hearts, crying - , Abba, Father. None 
can truly call God his father before they are 
made sons. To be sons, they must be joint 
heirs with Christ, and to be joint heirs with 
Christ they must become children of the cov- 
enant of promise, which is the gDvernment of 
the church or kingdom of God on earth. Hence, 



184 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

when a person enters the church of Christ he 
is made to cry Abba, Father, through faith 
in the promises of the Spirit of God. What 
are the promises of the Spirit? "And this is 
the promise that he hath promised us, even 
eternal life." 1 John ii: 25. "According as 
his divine power hath given unto us all things 
that pertain unto life and godliness, through 
the knowledge of him that hath called us to 
glory and virtue : whereby are given unto us 
exceeding great and precious promises ; that by 
these ye mig'ht be partakers of the divine na- 
ture, having escaped the corruption that is in 
the world through lust." 2 Pet. i: 3, 4. Hence, 
we escape the corruption of the world " through 
the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our 
Lord," as revealed in his word by the Holy 
Spirit. 

What is the corruption of the world ? It is 
the works of the flesh. See Gal. v: 19-21. 
"But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, 
long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, 
meekness, temperance ; against such there is no 
law." 22, 23. Hence, "if we live in the Spirit, 
let us also walk in the Spirit. " " Having there- 
fore these promises, dearly beloved, let us 
cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh 
and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of 
God." 2 Cor. vii: 1. Let us "try the spirits 



OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT. 185 

whether they are of God : because many false 
prophets are gone out into the world." 

There is an infallible guide by which to dis- 
tinguish between truth and error. The apostle 
John said : "We are of God. He that knoweth 
God heareth us ; he that is not of God heareth 
not us. Hereby know we the' spirit of truth 
and the spirit of error." 1 John iv: 6. It is 
evident, therefore, that in order to know God 
it is necessary to hear the teachings of the 
apostles and obey them ; for John also said : 
"He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not 
his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is 
not in him." 1 John ii: 4. Yet the spirit of 
error is abroad in the world, teaching men and 
women doctrines contrary to the teachings of 
Christ and his apostles. 

From the above statements of John it is read- 
ily seen that all who accept the teachings of the 
apostles of Christ are of God, and all who re- 
fuse to accept their teachings are not of God. 
Hence, any doctrine that is contrary to the 
teachings of the apostles is not of God. But 
this truth cannot be accepted without faith in 
the record that God has g'iven of his Son. John 
said: " He that believeth on the Son hath the 
witness in himself : he that believeth not God 
hath made him a liar, because he believeth not the 
record that God gave of his Son. " 1 John v: 10. 



186 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

Faith is a grand principle upon which the 
salvation of all sinners depends. It belongs to 
that part of the divine plan of salvation which 
is required to be performed by man. In order 
to the salvation of the world it was necessary 
that a way be prepared by which to escape con- 
demnation. This wa} T wholl} T depended upon 
the power and menw of God. He, by his grace, 
prepared the way through the offering- of his 
Son and through the work of his Spirit. The 
Son satisfied all demands of a violated law, and 
and with his blood he paid for the establish- 
ment of that divine institution which he called 
his church. The Spirit was sent to organize 
this church by giving laws of induction, and 
also laws by which the bod} 7 was to be gov- 
erned. But after God prepared this part of 
the work by his Son and Spirit, man is required 
to accept it through faith, which acceptance is 
the witness within ; for eternal life by faith in 
this way of salvation through the blood of 
Christ, b} T his Spirit, is the record that God 
gave of his son. For John also said: "And 
this is the record, that God hath given to us 
eternal life : and this life is in his Son." 11th 
verse. Hence, when the sinner accepts the 
record that God gave of his Son, as revealed in 
the gospel by his Spirit, he has the witness in 
himself through faith that testifies to a true 



OPERATION OF THE SPIRIT. 187 

believer in Christ. But to accept the record is 
to accept the terms upon which salvation is 
promised in the record, which necessarily leads 
persons into the church of Christ ; for the Spirit 
was sent to teach the terms upon which eter- 
nal life in Christ is bestowed. Hence, none 
outside the church of Christ can consistently 
claim that they have the witness within that 
they are true believers in Christ. Therefore, 
to receive the comfort of the Holy Spirit, and 
eternal life in the world to come, we must obey 
from the heart the form of doctrine delivered 
us by the Spirit through the inspired apostles 
of Christ, by which we are led into his church 
and receive the atonement of his blood in the 
remission of sins. 

In the last chapter of Revelation we have the 
following- : "I am Alpha and Omega, the be- 
ginning - and the end, the first and the last. 
Blessed are they that do his commandments, 
that the} 7 may have right to the tree of life, and 
enter in through the gates into the city. 
And the Spirit and the bride say, Come. And 
let him that heareth say, Come. And let him 
that is athirst come. And whosoever will, let 
him take the water of life freely." Thus we 
find in the close of the revelation of God to man, 
that the last invitation to partake of the waters 
of life was given b} 7 the Spirit and the church. 



188 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

The Spirit abides in the church, and invites all 
who will partake of the waters of life to come 
into the church and receive the blessing's prom- 
ised. The church invites all to come into the 
fold and receive the comfort of the Holy Spirit 
of promise. " I, Jesus, have sent mine angel to 
testify unto } T ou these thing's in the churches." 
44 He which testifieth these thing's saith, Surely 
I come quickly. Amen. Even so, come Lord 
Jesus." 



CHAPTER XVII. 



SERVANTS OF SIN AND SERVANTS OF 
RIGHTEOUSNESS. 

"And you hath he quickened who were dead in trespasses 
and sins." — Eph. ii: i. 

WE learn from the above scripture that those 
Ephesian brethren were at one time dead 
in sins. By reading* the 11th, 12th and 13th 
verses, we find that they were so considered 
while they were aliens from God, "having no 
hope and without God in the world," but were 
made alive by the blood of Christ. We there- 
fore conclude that all sinners are considered as 
being- dead in sins until they come to God. 

In what sense are sinners dead in sins, and 
how are they quickened? 

We are 'taug-ht bv manv that to be dead in 
sins is to be totally depraved in sin ; that the 
alien sinner cannot have a g*ood thougfht or per- 
form a gx>od act, in which to be made alive to 
God ; and that God must free him from sin by 
a direct power of his Spirit before he can per- 
form any g*ood work acceptably in the salvation 
of his soul. Hence the sinner is made alive in 
Christ independent of any act, deed or works. 

189 



190 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

From one of the advocates of the above the- 
ory, we have the following- : ' ' We believe a man 
is saved solely by grace through faith, and 
that independent of any act, deed, or works." 
He makes no distinction between the works of 
the sinner who obeys human devices, and those 
of the one who hears the word of God, receives 
it into an honest and gr>od heart, and obeys it as 
directed by the Holy Spirit ; but in his blind zeal 
he states "that they are all sure of hell, if they 
do not quit insulting- God by their g-ood works, 
and trust alone in Jesus for salvation." (See 
tract called The Nature and Evils of Pop- 
ular Liberalism.) This sounds strang-e 
when we consider that it comes from one who 
professes to believe the word of God. 

The word of God teaches the sinner to re- 
pent and be baptized for the remission of sins. 
See Acts ii: 38. The word of God teaches that 
the sinner purifies his soul in obeying- the truth 
throug-h the Spirit. See 1 Pet. i: 22. The 
apostle Paul said to his Roman brethren, " But 
God be thanked that ye were the servants of 
sin ; but ye have obeyed from the heart that 
form of doctrine which was delivered you. 
Being- then made free from sin, ye became the 
servants of righteousness." Rom. vi: 17, 18. 
Hence, it is plain that the teaching's of Peter 
and Paul condemn the theory of salvation by 



SERVANTS OF SIN. 191 

faith without works, as taug-ht by the writer 
of the above tract. Yet he has expressed the 
sentiment of thousands who claim to believe 
the teaching's of God's word. 

The above teaching's of the apostles show 
very clearl} r that the sinner is quickened or 
made alive in obedience to God's law, which 
answers our question in part. But in what 
sense is the sinner considered as being- dead 
in sins? 

To be dead in sin is to be servant of sin. A 
servant of sin is one who is in bondage to sin. 
Sin is his master, and eternal punishment is 
the reward which he receives for his services. 

He is a servant of sin, not because he cannot 
be a servant of rigfhteousness, but because he 
will not- Jesus, when speaking - upon one occa- 
sion to unbelievers, said : "And ye will not 
come to me, that ye migmt have life." John 
v: 40. 

The reward of a servant of rigfhteousness is 
eternal life. 

A servant of sin is a servant of Satan in the 
king'dom of Satan. A servant of rigfhteous- 
ness is a servant of God in the kingfdom of God. 
A servant of sin cannot receive the reward of 
a servant of rigfhteousness, because he has 
yielded himself a servant to obey sin (Satan). 
A servant of rig-hteousness cannot receive the 



192 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

reward of a servant of sin, because he has 
yielded himself a servant to obey righteousness. 

This is proven by the following*: "Know ye 
not that to whom ye yield yourselves servants 
to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey ; 
whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto 
righteousness." Rom. vi: 16. 

A servant of sin is free from righteousness. 
4 ' for when ve were the servants of sin ye were 
free from righteousness." 20th verse. They 
were free from the service and reward of right- 
eousness in the same sense that a citizen of one 
government is free from the service and reward 
of a citizen of another. A servant of sin be- 
longs to the government of Satan, hence he can- 
not serve righteousness and receive the reward 
bestowed upon the servants of righteousness 
while he remains loyal to the kingdom of Satan. 

A servant of righteousness is free from sin. 
See 18th verse. He is free from sin in the same 
sense that a servant of sin is free from right- 
eousness. He belongs to the government of 
God, hence he cannot serve sin and receive the 
reward of the servants of sin while he remains 
loyal to the kingdom of God. John said, 
"Whosoever is born of God doth not commit 
sin ; for his seed remaineth in him ; and he can- 
not sin, because he is born of God." 1 John 
iii: 9. 



SERVANTS OF SIN. 193 

It is evident, therefore, that a servant of sin 
cannot serve the law of righteousness and re- 
ceive eternal life while he remains loyal to 
Satan. The first thing* that God requires of a 
servant of sin is to renounce his allegiance to 
the kingdom of Satan and become a subject of 
the kingdom of God, by obeying the law of 
adoption. 

A servant of righteousness cannot serve the 
law of sin and receive eternal punishment while 
he remains loyal to God. The first thing that 
Satan requires of a servant of righteousness is 
to renounce his allegiance to the kingdom of 
God, by which he is made a servant of the 
kingdom of Satan. 

But a servant of sin may renounce his alle- 
giance to Satan and become a servant to right- 
eousness in obeying from the heart the form of 
doctrine delivered him, as shown by Paul, Rom. 
vi. This form of doctrine, which is baptism, 
is the entrance into the kingdom of God on 
earth through which the servants of Satan make 
their escape from the bondage of sin. 

The ears of the Lord are open unto the 
prayers of all who enter by the door into the 
kingdom of his dear Son ; but his face is against 
those who refuse to renounce their allegiance to 
Satan, and refuse to become a servant of God 
in obedience to the gospel of Christ. "For 
13 



194 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, 
and his ears are open unto their prayers : but 
the face of the Lord is against them that do 
evil." 1 Pet. iii: 12. 

But a servant of righteousness may renounce 
his allegiance to God and become a servant of 
sin in obeying the dictates of an evil conscience. 
This evil conscience is formed by failing to 
overcome the sins of the flesh. By yielding to 
the unholy desires of the flesh, he is led to dis- 
honor God, and his last state is 'made worse 
than the first. 

In the Revelation of Jesus Christ to John, 
we have the following: "He that overcometh, 
the same shall be clothed in white raiment ; 
and I will not blot out his name out of the book 
of life, but I will confess his name before my 
Father, and before his angels." Rev. iii: 5. 

The above promise is to the members of the 
church of God on earth, and the inference is 
plain, that those who fail to overcome, their 
names will be blotted out of the book of life. 
"Take heed therefore, that the light which is 
in thee be not darkness." Luke xi: 35. 

We understand that the perfect law of lib- 
erty (the gospel), unlike the law of Moses, re- 
quires perfection in the servants of righteous- 
ness only so far as it is possible for man in sin- 
ful flesh to be perfect. It is adapted to the 



SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 195 

condition of man with reference to good and 
evil. Both principles exist in him, and it is im- 
possible for him to destroy that disposition 
which tends to evil while in the flesh. But he 
can overcome evil with good by allowing* that 
which is good to control that which is evil. 
The gospel requires this, and no more. Hence, 
the important things are to know what is good 
and what is evil in the eyes of the Lord, and to 
overcome evil with good. 

" But," says one, "did not Jesus teach his 
disciples to be perfect even as their Father 
which is in heaven is perfect?" 

He did ; but we do not understand that he 
taught them to be equal with God in perfec- 
tion. He taught them to be perfect as serv- 
ants of God, even as the Father was a perfect 
God. The idea conveyed to our mind is, as 
God is a perfect God, so his servants should be 
perfect servants. Perfection in man depends 
wholly upon what God accepts as being per- 
fect. There are certain qualifications neces- 
sary to constitute a perfect master controlling 
servants, and there are also certain qualifica- 
tions necessary to constitute a perfect servant ; 
yet the perfect master is more than a perfect 
servant, for the servant is not equal with the 
master, but is pronounced as being* perfect. In 
what sense are they perfect? They are per- 



196 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

feet servants and not masters. Why does the 
master pronounce them perfect servants? Be- 
cause they have done that which he agrees to 
call perfect duty, and not because they are as 
perfect as himself as a master. Hence, as the 
master is a perfect master, even so should the 
servants be perfect servants. 

God requires man to do certain thing's. 
When man complies with the requirements of 
God he is pronounced perfect, because he has 
done that which God agrees to call perfect 
duty, and not because man is as perfect as 
himself, as God. Hence, as God is a perfect 
God, even so should his servants be perfect 
servants. 

From the foreg*oing\ it is evident that the 
servants of rig-hteousness are required to over- 
come the works of the flesh that they may be 
perfect in Christ. James said : " My brethren, 
count it all joy when ye fall into divers temp- 
tations ; knowing* this, that the trying of your 
faith worketh patience. But let patience have 
her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and 
entire, wanting* nothing." James i: 2-4. 

What are the sins or works of the flesh? 

"Now the works of the flesh are manifest, 
which are these: Adultery, fornication, un- 
cleanness, lasciviousness, idolatry, witchcraft, 
hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, se- 



SERVANTS OF RIGHTEOUSNESS. 197 

ditions, heresies, envying*s, murders, drunken- 
ness, reveling-s, and such like : of the which I 
tell you before, as I have also told you in time 
past, that they which do such things shall not 
inherit the kingdom of God." Gal. v: 19-21. 



CHAPTER XVIII. 



THE GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD. 

FAITH in the revealed will of God to man is 
the foundation upon which the salvation of 
sinners rests. In the preceding- articles, we 
have endeavored to show that God has revealed 
a way of salvation to man ; that this way of 
salvation is made plain ; and that there is but 
the one way revealed by which the sinner may 
escape condemnation. This one way of salva- 
tion was established through the pure mercies 
of God for the benefit of poor fallen man. 
Hence it is the goodness of God that leads sin- 
ners to repentance. When the sinner is led to 
accept the terms of salvation from sin as directed 
by the teachings of the Holy Spirit, he becomes 
the servant of righteousness by faith in the tes- 
timony that God has given to reveal his good- 
ness. See Rom. ii : 4—6. 

In order to appreciate the goodness of God, 
it is necessary to consider the fact that he made 
man for the purpose of inheriting eternal glory 
and not for eternal destruction. It is not the 
will of God that any one should fail to inherit 
198 



GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD. 199 

the blessing's of eternal life, which is evident 
from the following - : "Say unto them, As I 
live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in 
the death of the wicked ; but that the wicked 
turn from his way and live : turn ye, turn ye 
from your evil ways ; for why will ye die, O 
house of Israel." Ezek. xxxiii : 11. 

" The Lord is not slack concerning- his prom- 
ise, as some men count slackness ; but is long*- 
suffering* to us-ward, not willing* that any 
should perish, but that all should come to re- 
pentance." 2 Peter iii : 9. Hence God desires 
the eternal salvation of every human being*. 

Man proves that he appreciates the g*oodness 
of God by obeying* his law throug*h faith that 
works by love. Any one who refuses to obey 
the law of God, dishonors him, and proves that 
he is unworthy to inherit eternal life. John 
said, "But whoso keepeth his word, in him 
verily is the love of God perfected : hereby 
know we that we are in him." 1 John ii : 5. 
To keep God's word is to believe what it teaches, 
and accept it by striving* to obey it, to the ex- 
clusion of obedience to the dictates of man. 

While the g-oodness of God is a theme upon 
which all followers of Christ should dwell, 
ever looking to his mercy for salvation which is 
made manifest by his word as revealed in the 
g*ospel of Christ, they should not forg*et the 



200 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

severity of God. Paul, when speaking* of the 
rejection of many of the Jews and the accept- 
ance of the Gentiles, said: "Behold therefore 
the goodness and the severity of God : on them 
which fell severity ; but toward thee, goodness, 
if thou continue in his goodness : otherwise thou 
also shalt be cut off." Rom. xi : 22. 

Prom the above, we learn that God rejected 
many of his own chosen people because of unbe- 
lief, and that he accepted many who were not a 
people because of their faith; "because of un- 
belief the} r [unbelieving Jews] were broken off, 
and thou [believing Gentile] standest by faith." 
See 20th verse. This fully agrees with the 
statement of Peter when he said, "Of a truth 
I perceive that God is no respecter of persons : 
But in every nation, he that feareth him and 
worketh righteousness, is accepted with him." 
Acts x : 34, 35. Hence it is evident that the 
goodness of God is connected with severity to 
the extent that it requires works of righteous- 
ness in order to receive the blessing of eternal 
life which God in his goodness bestows. 

In view of the above fact, it is inconsistent 
to conclude that God in his goodness, will save 
man regardless of obedience to his law. He 
gives blessings of this life to all. He sends 
rain on the just and the unjust. He preserves 
the life of man, and directs him to an eternal 



GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD. 201 

home beyond the grave. In his goodness and 
wisdom he prepared the way of salvation from 
sin and death. He sent his only Son into the 
world, who tasted death for every man, and 
with his own blood, he purchased the church 
of God. He gave directions by which sinful 
man could enter his church and receive the 
atonement of the blood of Christ, and in the end 
everlasting life. 

In his severity, he passes the sentence of 
condemnation upon all who refuse to obey the 
gospel. 

We can but behold the goodness and severity 
of God, when we read the many precious prom- 
ises that are contained in the gospel of Christ, 
made sure to all the servants of righteousness 
— and of the certainty of "everlasting destruc- 
tion from the presence of the Lord," of all sin- 
ners who "know not God, and that obey not 
the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ." 

We can but behold the goodness and severity 
of God when we read the same divine truths 
revealed by him to man before the gospel. He 
said: "Have I any pleasure at all that the 
wicked should die ? saith the Lord God : and 
not that he should return from his ways, 
and live? But when the righteous turneth 
away from his righteousness, and committeth 
iniquity, and doeth according to all the abomi- 



202 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

nations that the wicked man doeth, shall he 
live? All his righteousness that he hath done 
shall not be mentioned : in his trespass that 
he hath trespassed, and in his sin that he hath 
sinned, in them shall he die. . . . Again, 
when the wicked man turneth away from his 
wickedness that he hath committed, and doeth 
that which is lawful and right, he shall save 
his soul alive. Because he considereth and 
turneth away from all his transgressions that 
he hath committed, he shall Purely live, he 
shall not die. 

"Yet saith the house of Israel, the way of 
the Lord is not equal. O house of Israel, are 
not my ways equal? are not your ways un- 
equal? Therefore, I will judge you, O house 
of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith 
the Lord God. Repent and turn yourselves 
from all your transgressions ; so iniquity shall 
not be your ruin. Cast away from you all your 
transgressions, whereby ye have transgressed : 
and make you a new heart and a new spirit : 
for why will ye die, O house of Israel? For I 
have no pleasure in the death of him that dieth, 
saith the Lord God : wherefore turn yourselves, 
and live ye." Ezek. xviii: 21-32. 

It is evident from the above that the good- 
ness of God with reference to eternal salva- 
tion rests upon all who obey his revealed will, 



GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD. 203 

and that his severity in everlasting* destruction 
will fall on all who disobey. Hence the good- 
ness of God that brought salvation to sinners, 
rests upon all who, in obedience to his will, 
enter the church which cost the blood of Jesus, 
and his severity, to condemnation, falls upon 
all who refuse to obey from the heart the form 
of doctrine delivered them, by which sinners 
are made free from sin, and become the serv- 
ants of righteousness. 

The servant of righteousness is required to 
"visit the fatherless and widows in their afflic- 
tion, and to keep himself unspotted from the 
world." There is a diversity of spots in the 
world, known only by the teachings of the 
word of God. Hence, to avoid such spots, it is 
necessary to know just what God teaches in 
his revealed will with reference to the duties 
of the servant of righteousness. He must strive 
to avoid anything that is contrary to the teach- 
ings of the revealed will of God, regardless of 
what others may say or think. Remember that 
it is the duty of every being who is a subject 
of the law of God under the gospel dispensa- 
tion, to obey his law fully believing that God 
will perform that which he has promised. 
Obey God with full assurance that your obe- 
dience will be made acceptable through the 
perfect obedience of Christ. Do not forget 



204 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

that salvation comes through the atonement of 
the blood of Christ, and that his blood is reached 
only through obedience made perfect by his 
righteousness. Remember that " when ye were 
the servants of sin ye were free from right- 
eousness. But now being made free from sin, 
and become servants to God, ye have your fruit 
unto holiness, and the end everlasting life." 
Remember, also, that it was the goodness of 
God that led you out of the kingdom of dark- 
ness into the kingdom of his dear Son, and that 
he, in his severity, warns you against depart- 
ing- from the truth. 

"There remains therefore a rest to the 
people of God." Heb. iv: 9. This truth 
should give courage and consolation to every 
child of God who labors in his vineyard. When 
they consider that they are to work out their own 
salvation with fear and trembling, this prom- 
ise should ever be radiant in the heart to give 
them courage in their daily toil as they move 
on to the grand and glorious city of mansions 
prepared for them. Jesus said : " Let not your 
hearts be troubled : ye believe in God, believe 
also in me. In my Father's house are many 
mansions : if it were not so, I would have told 
you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if 
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come 
again and receive you unto myself ; that where 



GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD. 205 

I am, there ye may be also." John xiv : 1-3. 

In this we behold the goodness of God. In 
this we see the comfort of the scriptures that 
gives hope to the faithful in Christ. Trials 
and persecutions must be endured. Many pri- 
vations may be met on the way, yet the glorious 
promise that a rest remains to the people of 
God, should ever find a place in the heart of 
the Christian. 

But how many enter the vineyard of the 
Lord, and conclude that their labor is ended 
when it is only begun ! How many cease to 
work for the Master, and disgrace his cause by 
partaking of the sins of the flesh without an 
eifort to overcome the world and enter into the 
rest that awaits the faithful worker ! All who 
enter the fold of Christ are required to labor. 
" Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, 
lest any man fall after the same example of un- 
belief. " Heb. iv. 11. The example to which 
the apostle refers is found in the 3d chapter, 
beginning with 17th verse. We learn from 
this example that many of the children of Israel 
fell in the wilderness ; hence they did not reach 
the land of promise because of sin through un- 
belief. 

In this we behold the severity of God. In 
this we learn the very important lesson that if 
the sinner fails to enter the vineyard of the 



206 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

Lord and labor, he will fail to enter into the 
rest that awaits the people of God. 

Pure and undeiiled religion belong-s to the 
people of God, "Pure relig-ion, and undefiled 
before God and the Father, is this : to visit the 
fatherless and the widows in their affliction, 
and to keep himself unspotted from the world." 
James i: 27. 

It is, therefore, the duty of all God's people 
to visit the fatherless and widows in their af- 
fliction. All can perform this duty, if all will 
labor as they are required. But all cannot per- 
form this duty if there be members too poor to 
visit (assist) others, yet none are so poor that 
they should not be received into the fold of 
Christ with joy. In view of these facts, it is 
plain that each member of the church of Christ 
should earnestly strive to be able and willing- 
to assist the needy to some extent, which should 
be determined according- as the Lord prospers 
them. But if, by any means, a faithful laborer 
in the vineyard should be so reduced by pov- 
erty' as not to be able to perform this duty, it 
is also plain that he should receive aid from the 
church, not by merely issuing- a few scanty 
meals when poverty is rapping- loudly at his 
door, but he should be assisted in a manner that 
he will be enabled to assist himself and resume 
his duties in the vine} T ard of the Lord. We un- 



GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD. 207 

derstand this to be the divine order, and we 
behold the gx>odness of God in his manner of 
caring for the poor. 

But we may be told that this order has been 
sadly neglected by the church. This may be 
true, yet we are unable to decide how all of 
God's people can do what is called pure religion 
and undefiled before God and the Father with- 
out complying* with this duty. We are unable 
to decide how any one who is blessed with 
plenty of this world's good, can consistently 
claim to love God while he refuses to assist a 
brother or sister in need. John said: "But 
whoso hath this world's goods, and seeth his 
brother have need, and shutteth up his bowels 
of compassion from him, how dwelleth the love 
of God in him? My little children, let us not 
love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and 
in truth." 1 John iii: 17, 18. 

But all of God's people are required to keep 
themselves unspotted from the world. All can 
do this if they will strive as they are directed. 
To keep unspotted from the world is to refuse 
to partake of anything that is contrary to the 
will of God. Hence, all the members of God's 
church can do that which is called pure religion 
and undefiled before God and the Father, if all 
will labor as they are directed. And in so 
doing they will be permitted to enter into the 
rest that remains to the people of God. 



CHAPTER XIX. 



PRAYER. 

PRAYER is a petition for a thing- to be grant- 
ed. Prayer to God must be from an earn- 
est desire of heart ; for God knows the thoug*hts 
of the heart, hence cannot be deceived by vain 
petitions. Earnest desire creates earnest 
prayer. This being* true, any petition to God 
not accompanied by earnest desire that the pe- 
tition be granted, is vain. But the petition 
must be offered througfh faith. "Therefore 
I say unto you, what thing's soever ye. desire 
when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and 
ye shall have them." Mark xi: 24. 

Hence, prayer without faith is also vain. But 
many earnest petitions are offered to God be- 
lieving - that he will answer them, yet they fail 
to receive that which is desired because the pe- 
tition does not agree with the will of God. 
"And this is the confidence that we have in 
him, that if we ask anything* according - to his 
will, he heareth us." 1 John v: 14. 

A petition may be offered throug-h faith for 
a thing* that God is willing- to grant, but not 
in answer to the prayer, the petitioner failing* 
208 



PRAYER. 209 

to comply with what is required in connection 
with such a petition. Faith without works is 
dead, and as acceptable prayer depends upon 
faith, it evident that if the faith is dead, the 
prayer is also dead. 

"And whatsoever we ask we receive of him, 
because we keep his commandments, and do 
those things that are pleasing" in his sight." 
1 John iii: 22. 

From this it is evident that God hears the 
prayers of only those who worship him, which 
fully agrees with the f ollowing : "Now we 
know that God heareth not sinners : but if any 
man be a worshiper of God, and doeth his 
will, him he heareth." John ix: 31. 

"For the eyes of the Lord are over the right- 
eous, and his ears are open to their prayers: 
but the face of the Lord is against them that 
do evil." 1 Pet. iii: 12. 

' ' The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomina- 
tion to the Lord : but the prayer of the upright 
is his delight." .... "The Lord is far 
from the wicked : but he heareth the prayer of 
the righteous." Prov. xv: 8, 29. 

"He that turneth away his ear from hearing 
the law, even his prayer shall be abomina- 
tion." Prov. xxviii: 9. 

Hence, the evidence is conclusive that God 
hears the prayers of only those who worship 
14 



210 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

him and do works of righteousness. It is evi- 
dent, therefore, that acceptable prayer depends 
upon desire of the heart, faith, works, and must 
agree with his will. 

If a person pray for the blessings pertaining 
to this life, he cannot reasonably expect to re- 
ceive them without working- in the appointed 
way that leads to their reception. The same 
may be said with reference to praying - for the 
blessing's of the life to come. 

But it may be argued that persons may pray 
and work for the blessing's of this life without 
faith and receive them. While this ma} T be 
true, it onl}^ proves that they receive them as 
those who work without prayer, and not in an- 
swer to prayer. God blesses the just and the 
unjust in man} T respects alike ; yet all who fail 
to pray for his blessing's fail to receive any- 
thing* in answer to prayers of their own ; and 
in so failing - , they also fail to prove themselves 
worthy of eternal life. 

"Watch ye therefore, and pra} T always, that 
ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these 
thing's that shall come to pass, and to stand 
before the Son of man." Luke xxi: 36. 

No person who does not possess a spirit of 
prayer to God can obey him acceptably. To 
depend upon entering - the church and serving 
God through life without a spirit of prayer is 



PRAYER. 211 

equally as vain as to depend upon prayer with- 
out entering- the church and striving - to perform 
the duties that God has enjoined upon his 
people. Hence, it is the duty of all account- 
able being's to enter the church of God with a 
desire to serve him, and with a spirit of earn- 
est prayer strive to comply with his will 
throug'h life. 

If the alien sinner desires that God hear his 
prayers for pardon and eternal salvation, he 
must enter the church of Christ, the only place 
that God has promised to hear such prayers. 
This truth is beautifully illustrated by the 
Jewish tabernacle, which represents the church 
and heaven. The veil separated the holy place 
(church) from the most holy (heaven). This 
veil denoted blindness on the part of the people 
with reference to the way of salvation that w 7 as 
to be established, of which the tabernacle was 
a figure. This blindness was further repre- 
sented by the fact that when Moses stood be- 
fore the people and read the law, he put a veil 
on his face. See 2 Cor. iii: 13, 14. The mercy 
seat was placed in the most holy place over the 
ark of the covenant, and represented the throne 
of God. Hence the veil of blindness was be- 
tween the church and the throne in a typical 
sense. The hig-h priest, w r ho typified Jesus, 
the high priest of the everlasting- covenant 



212 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

that was to come, entered into the most holy 
place within the veil, and made intercession for 
the people before the mercy seat, the place that 
God promised to meet his people and bless 
them. See Ex. xxv: 17-22. 

When the high priest went into the holy 
place to offer for the people of God, he carried 
with him the names of all the tribes of Israel 
upon the ephod and also upon the breast-plate 
of judgment. Hence, none were represented 
in the offerings for sin by the high priest but 
those belonging to God's covenant, which 
covenant was a type of the church of Christ 
which was to come. The prayers of the 
people of God were made acceptable in obe- 
dience to law, through the offerings of the high 
priest. 

We have a beautiful illustration of the power 
and goodness of God in the above. The ephod, 
which bore the names of the people of God, 
was upon his shoulders, and the breast-plate of 
judgment was upon his heart, thus- typifying 
the power and love of Jesus, the high priest of 
the new covenant. See Isa. ix: 6. 

Christ, in his death, removed the veil of 
blindness, and his church is united to the mercy 
seat or throne of God. Hence, all who desire 
God's mercy in bestowing eternal salvation 
upon them, must enter the church of Christ in 



PRAYER. 213 

order to reach the mercy seat, which is the 
only place that he has promised to meet them 
and bestow the blessing* desired. 

For what should the people of God pray? 

They should pray for the advancement of the 
kingdom of God on earth, that his will may be 
done on earth as it is done in heaven. They 
should pray for the daily bread and for all the 
blessing's necessary to this life. They should 
pray that they may be delivered from evil 
temptations and be enabled to serve God ac- 
ceptably. They should pray that the mercy 
of God be bestowed upon them in remitting- 
their pardonable sins. See Matt, vi: 9-13, and 
1 John ii: 1, 2. See also v : 14-17. They 
should pray for the union of all God's chosen 
people, that they "be of the same mind one 
toward another." See Rom. xii: 16. They 
should pray for one another, and for those who 
bear the g-ospel of peace to a sinful world ; they 
should pray that their efforts be not in vain. 
See Eph. vi: 18, 19. They should pray for 
those who speak evil of them, and reject the 
g-ospel of Christ, that they may come to a 
knowledg-e of the truth and be saved in obe- 
dience to God's will. Remember that all thing's 
made acceptable to God are sanctified by the 
word of God and by prayer. See 1 Tim. iv: 
4, 5. And while they pray for all blessing-s 



214 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

consistent with God's will, they should work 
for the same in his own appointed wa}^. 

Works and prayer are commands of God. 
Solomon, the wise king-, said: "Let us hear 
the conclusion of the whole matter : Fear God, 
and keep his commandments : for this is the 
whole duty of man. For God shall bring- 
every work into judg-ment, with every secret 
thing-, whether it be g-ood or whether it be evil. " 
Eccl. xii: 13, 14. 

But no one can obe\ T God acceptably without 
a continual warfare ag-ainst the sins of the 
flesh. Evil must be overcome with g-ood. We 
learn that he that overcometh, the same shall 
be clothed in white raiment ; and Jesus said : 
' ' I will not blot out his name out of the book 
of life, but I will confess his name before my 
Father, and before his ang-els." And the infer- 
ence is quite plain, that if we fail to overcome 
we will fail to wear the white raiment in the 
presence of God and his ang-els. 

We understand that God has had a king-dom 
throug-h all eternity. Hence, his king-dom ex- 
isted before this world was created for a grand 
purpose. It is reasonable to conclude that in 
this king-dom countless being-s existed subject to 
the will of God ; that in his wisdom he desired 
another class of being-s to render honor to him 
in his everlasting- king-dom ; that in order to 



PRAYER. 215 

prepare the beings he desired for this purpose 
it was necessary to make them subject to the 
passions of man, and also to create a habitation 
suited to their nature in which to prepare them 
for his kingdom ; and that the members of this 
class of beings were to prove themselves 
worthy of the great blessings for which they 
were created by overcoming evil with good in 
honor to their creator. 

It has been shown that man failed in the first 
instance to comply with the requirements, by 
which he forfeited his right to the eternal pos- 
sessions that awaited him ; that God in his 
mercy devised a way by which to redeem him 
from his fallen state ; and that this salvation 
was accomplished by his only Son, Jesus Christ, 
by redeeming him from the grave, and estab- 
lishing his kingdom or church on earth, through 
which redemption from sin is obtained. It is 
evident, therefore, that all who desire the 
glorious privilege of wearing the white raiment 
in the presence of God and Christ, the great 
mediator, in the presence of all the holy angels, 
and in the presence of all the redeemed of 
earth, must strive to overcome the sins of the 
flesh in obedience to the gospel of Christ. 

It has been shown that the gospel of Christ 
is the glad tidings to sinners of the promise of 
salvation from sin and salvation in heaven 



216 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

through obedience, made acceptable by his 
death, burial and resurrection. But as prayer 
is made acceptable through obedience to the 
gospel of Christ, and as obedience to the gos- 
pel necessarily leads persons into the church of 
Christ, it is plain that no one can obtain eter- 
nal salvation through prayer before he enters 
the church through obedience to the form of 
doctrine delivered him, by which he is freed 
from the bondage of sin. So long as persons 
remain servants of sin their prayers for remis- 
sion of sins will be in vain. Hence, to "fear 
God and keep his commandments is the whole 
duty of man." 

The fear of God in the heart is one of the 
grand principles upon which the eternal salva- 
tion of sinners depends. It is the power that 
opens the door of the heart and bids the Master 
to enter. "Behold I stand at the door and 
knock : if any man hear my voice, and open the 
door, I will come into him, and will sup with 
him, and he with me." Rev. iii: 20. 

It is the voice of the fear of God that cries, 
" God be merciful to me, a sinner! ' When the 
Spirit of God in his mighty power descended 
and spoke the grand truth, "Therefore let all 
the house of Israel know assuredly, that God 
hath made that same Jesus whom ye have cruci- 
fied, both Lord and Christ," it was the voice 



PRAYER. 217 

of the fear of God that cried, " Men and breth- 
ren, what shall we do?" When Jesus spoke 
from the eternal throne of his Father to the 
chief of sinners, saying - , " Saul, Saul, why per- 
secutest thou me? " it was the voice of the fear 
of God that cried, "Lord, what wilt thou have 
me to do?' When the power of God was re- 
vealed to the heathen jailer by shaking- the 
foundation of the prison from which the pray- 
ers of his imprisoned children ascended, it was 
the fear of God in the heart that cried, " What 
must I do to be saved ? ' ' 

To fear God is to honor God ; to honor God 
is to obey God ; and to obey God is to love God, 
for the Apostle John said : " For this is the love 
of God, that we keep his commandments." 
See 1 John v: 3. 

But we are told that the same apostle said 
that perfect love casteth out fear. This is 
true. "Because," said he, "fear hath tor- 
ment." See 4th chapter, 18th verse. 

God's children should not have the fear of 
torment. The fear of hell makes men and 
women tremble throug'h a knowledge of diso- 
bedience, but the fear of God creates rejoicing-s 
in the hearts of the faithful. The fear of hell 
is a terror to man, but the fear of God is peace 
to the soul. The fear of hell may aid in lead- 
ing* sinners unto the door of mercy, but the fear 



218 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

of God will lead them into a brig-lit hope of 
eternal glory. The fear of hell is an inmate of 
the heart that tends to evil, but the fear of God 
is the door-keeper of the heart of the faithful 
in Christ Jesus. 

The fear of God prompts his children to obey 
him because he is God, and because of his good- 
ness. This being true, it is evident that all 
Christians should live in a manner that the fear 
of torment would be cast out. Not that they 
should have no fear of punishment regardless 
of their daih' walk in life, but that they should 
so walk in all the appointments of the Lord 
that this fear would be cast out through faith 
in the promises of God, their Father. 

That they should walk in this manner is evi- 
dent from the following : ' ' Yea, though I walk 
through the valle}^ of the shadow of death, I 
will fear no evil : for thou art with me ; thy rod 
and thy staff they comfort me." Ps. xxiii: 4. 

"Fear not ; for I am with thee : I will bring 
thy seed from the east, and gather thee from 
the west : I will say to the north, Give up ; 
and to the south, Keep not back : bring my 
sons from far, and my daughters from the ends 
of the earth ; even every one that is called by 
my name : for I have created him for my glory, 
I have formed him; yea, I have made." Isa. 
xliii: 5-7. 



PRAYER. 219 

"Fear not, little flock ; for it is your Father's 
good pleasure to give you the kingdom." Luke 
xii: 32. 

But as his children are liable to be overcome 
by the sins of the flesh, and cease to be num- 
bered among* those who have the promise of 
the tree of life, they must guard well their sit- 
uation, knowing the terror of the Lord, if they 
should be induced to depart from him. Hence 
Paul said : ' ' Work out your own salvation with 
fear and trembling*." 

The faithful Christian should not fear the 
punishment of the wicked, but with the fear of 
God in the heart, he should tremble at the 
thought of departing from him. Why should 
they doubt the promises of their heavenl\ T 
Father? The only cause for such doubts is a 
failure to comply with his will. For when 
they faithfully strive to serve him it is evi- 
dence of the fact that they have the proper 
fear of him in the heart, and his goodness is 
revealed unto them through faith in his prom- 
ises. 

This fear of eternal punishment may be con- 
nected with hatred and disobedience to God, 
but the fear of God is inseparably connected 
with obedience through love. Hence, in view 
of the foregoing facts, it is evident that, while 
Christians who are faithfully striving to 



220 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

serve the Master, should guard against the lia- 
bility of being- overcome of evil, they should 
not live in fear of future punishment, but they 
should ever abide in full faith of the fact that 
God will perform that which he has promised. 
"For he that cometh to God must believe that 
he is and that he is a rewarder of them that 
diligently seek him." 

In this and the preceding- articles we have 
endeavored to show man's responsibility to 
God, the necessity of obedience and the means 
through which such obedience is made accept- 
able. We have endeavored to show the utter 
impossibility of any one performing- an act of 
obedience by which to merit salvation without 
the intercession of Christ, and at the same 
time the great necessity of obeying- God and 
wholly depending upon the rig-hteousness of 
Christ being- imputed unto him, by which such 
obedience is made acceptable 

The righteousness of Christ is imputed unto 
all who obey the law of God, and sin is im- 
puted unto all who disobey it. It is therefore 
quite evident that the righteousness of Christ 
saves sinners through obedience to the law of 
God. But as the law of God necessarily leads 
persons into his church, the only conclusion to 
which we can arrive is, that in order to have 
the righteousness of Christ imputed unto us, it 



PRAYER. 221 

is necessary to enter his church in obedience to 
the law of God as revealed in the gospel of 
Christ. 

The Apostle Peter said: "And it shall 
come to pass that whosoever shall call on the 
name of the Lord, shall be saved." Acts ii: 
21. The above scripture evidently refers to 
all who have entered the church of God in obe- 
dience to his will, for Jesus said: "Not every 
one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter 
into the kingdom of heaven ; but he that doeth 
the will of my Father which is in heaven." 
Matt, vii: 21. It is, therefore, quite evident 
that whosoever calls on the name of the Lord 
must also do his will in order to be saved. But 
no one can do the will of the Lord while he re- 
fuses to enter the church of Christ in obedience 
to his will. This being true, it is plain that 
no one can call on the name of the Lord in a 
manner acceptable to him, without entering 
his church. 

God has established the way by which both 
Jew and Gentile may call on his name and be 
saved, and he has appointed the place for such 
service. He has promised to meet all who call 
on him at his mercy seat, and nowhere else. 
But the entrance to his mercy seat is also the 
entrance to his church, which has been shown. 
We therefore say to all who desire to call on 



222 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

the name of the Lord and be saved, if you are 
out of the fold of Christ, obey the will of his 
Father by entering* into his church, unto his 
mercy seat, the place that he has promised to 
meet you and bless you in answer to prayer 
made acceptable -by obedience. 

Jesus said : "Come unto me, all ye that labor 
and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me : for 
I am meek and lowly in heart ; and ye shall 
find rest unto your souls. For my yoke 
is easy and my burden is light. " Matt, xi : 
28-30. 

While this scripture was addressed to the 
Jews, it is equally applicable to the Gentile. 
The Jews had a yoke upon their necks which 
they were unable to bear, and the Gentile was 
under bondage to sin, without hope and with- 
out God in the world. Hence, both Jew and 
Gentile were required to take the yoke of Jesus 
upon them. But in order to obey this require- 
ment it is necessary to know what his yoke is, 
and in order to go to him, it is necessary to 
know where he is, and to know the way. But 
we learn that God is upon his throne of mercy, 
and that Jesus is at the right hand of his 
Father, ever ready to make intercession for his 
people. Now, as the mercy seat of God is 
approached by the door into his church, it is 



PRAYER. 223 

evident that the way to Jesus is through, the 
door into his church. 

The law of Moses was the yoke which was 
upon the Jews. Christ took this yoke from 
their necks by- the establishment of his church, 
and required them to take his yoke upon them, 
which is the gospel. The Gentiles are also re- 
quired to take the same yoke upon them, and 
learn of him. Hence, in order to be classed 
among - those who call on the name of the Lord, 
in the way that secures salvation from sin, it is 
necessary to come to Jesus throug*h the door 
into his church. 

But it may be argued that the doctrine set 
forth in our articles deprives many good men 
and women of eternal salvation, although they 
may claim to be worshipers of God. While 
this may be true, the fault is not in the doc- 
trine, but' in those who refuse to obey the doc- 
trine. In our investigations we have not de- 
prived any member of the church of Christ of 
eternal salvation, nor have we deprived any ac- 
countable being* to God of the privilege of en- 
tering his church upon the terms of the g'ospel. 
When persons refuse to worship God according 
to his will, they deprive themselves of the 
blessings that God has promised to those who 
obey him. Jesus said: "Many will say to me 
in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not proph- 



224 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

esied [taught] in thy name? and in thy name 
have cast out devils? and in thy name done 
many wonderful works? And then will I pro- 
fess unto them, I never knew you : depart from 
me, ye that work iniquity." Matt, vii: 22, 23. 
Now, it cannot be consistently denied that in 
the above statements Jesus describes a large 
class of persons who are doing - many wonderful 
works, claiming- that they are done in his name, 
yet they are workers of iniquity. 



CHAPTER XX. 



HOPE OF THE CHRISTIAN. 

WHILE there are many conflicting - theories 
of worship in existence, and as the advo- 
cates of each claim to have a hope of salvation 
in heaven, a short investigation with reference 
to this subject will not be amiss. 

We learn that we are saved by hope. See 
Rom. viii : 24. But as a hope of eternal salva- 
tion depends upon our faith, and as our faith 
may be predicated upon a false theory, it is evi- 
dent that our hope may be vain. For if our 
faith is predicated upon a false theory, it is 
vain. And if our faith is vain, our hope is vain 
also. But as the hope of salvation depends 
upon our faith, and as vain faith cannot save, 
it is evident that the hope by which we are 
saved does not depend upon a faith predicated 
upon a false theory of worship. Hence true 
hope is predicated upon the faith of the gospel 
of Christ, and may be sustained by reason con- 
sistent with its teaching's, which we will now 
endeavor to show. 

"Wherein God, willing- more abundantly to 
15 225 



226 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

shew unto the heirs of promise the immuta- 
bility of his counsel, confirmed it by an oath : 
That by two immutable things, in which it was 
impossible for God to lie, we might have a 
strong- consolation, who have fled for refuge to 
lay hold upon the hope set before us : Which 
hope we have as an anchor of the soul, both 
sure and steadfast, and which entereth into 
that within the vail ; [or within the most holy 
place; ] Whither the forerunner is for us entered, 
even Jesus, made a high priest for ever after the 
order of Melchisedec." Heb. vi : 17-20. 

"God made promise to Abraham saying - , 
Surely blessing- I will bless thee, and multi- 
plying* I will multiply thee," and confirmed it 
by an oath." See verses 13 and 14. These are the 
"two immutable things, in which it was impos- 
sible for God to lie, that we who have fled for 
refuge, might have strong consolation to lay 
hold upon the hope set before us." 

The blessing- promised to Abraham was ful- 
filled in Christ by the establishment of his 
church which cost his own blood, and all who 
enter by the door into this church, will be 
blessed with faithful Abraham ; for God has 
confirmed it with an oath. "And this I say, 
that the covenant that was confirmed before of 
God in Christ, the law, [of Moses] which was 
four hundred and thirty years after, cannot dis- 



HOPE OF THE CHRISTIAN. 227 

annul, that it should make the promise of none 
effect." Gal. iii : 17. Hence the law of Moses, 
which was given four hundred and thirty years 
after the promise made to Abraham which led 
to the establishment of the new covenant in 
Christ, could not affect the promise. "For if 
the inheritance [of eternal salvation] be of the 
law, [of Moses,] it is no more of promise : but 
God gave it to Abraham by promise." See 
18th verse. 

It is evident, therefore, that this blessing- 
promised to Abraham, is made sure and stead- 
fast to all the members of the body of Christ, 
"And he is the head of the body, the church." 
See Col. i : 18. It is also evident that this 
promise is not made sure and steadfast to any 
one not a member of this body or church. 

While this body is composed of many mem- 
bers, and these members may be divided into 
many assemblies or congregations, yet they are 
members of the same body, adopted into the 
same family, by the same law of adoption, and 
wear the same name by which to be identified 
as the children and heirs of God. "For as 
the body is one, and hath many members, and 
all the members of that one body, being many, 
are one body : So also is Christ. For by one 
Spirit are we all baptized into one body, 
whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we 



228 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

be bond or free ; and have been all made to 
drink into one Spirit." 1 Cor. xii : 12, 13. The 
law of spiritual adoption was given b}^ the Holy 
Spirit. And when a person obeys this law, he 
is baptized, or adopted, into the one body, by 
the one Spirit, and has been made to drink 
into the one Spirit by accepting - and imbibing - the 
teaching's of this one Spirit. 

But God also said, in "multiplying" I will mul- 
tiply thee." This has reference to the spirit- 
ual children of Abraham, made heirs of the 
promise through faith. "That the blessing - of 
Abraham mig - ht come on the Gentiles through 
Jesus Christ ; that we mig-ht receive the prom- 
ise of the Spirit throug"h faith." Gal. iii : 14. 
The promise made to Abraham was to include 
the Gentile as well as the Jew, and this fact 
was made known to them throug'h the Spirit, 
when he sent the apostles of Christ to them 
with the perfect law of liberty. Now all who 
accept this law, are made children of Abraham 
by faith, and are made partakers of the promise 
by the g"ospel. "Know ye therefore, that they 
which are of faith, the same are the children of 
Abraham." Seventh verse. 

In view of these facts, it is plain that persons 
are made the children of Abraham and heirs 
according" to the promise in obedience to the 
spiritual law of adoption by which they become 



HOPE OF THE CHRISTIAN. 229 

members of the one body. "For as many of 
you as have been baptized into Christ, have put 
on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, 
there is neither bond nor free, there is neither 
male nor female : for ve are all one in Christ 

J 

Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye 
Abraham's seed, and heirs according- to the 
promise." 27-29. 

With the foregoing - facts before us, we can 
readily understand how all the children of God 
may be ready always to give an answer to every 
man that asketh them a reason of the hope that 
is in them, with meekness and fear. See 1 
Peter iii : 15. They have obeyed from the 
heart the form of doctrine delivered them, by 
which they were made free from sin, and be- 
came the adopted children of God and made heirs 
of the promise of eternal salvation. Their hope 
is made sure and steadfast, for it rests upon 
the promise of God, and is confirmed by an oath. 

But strang-e the fact, that there are those who 
claim to love God ; who claim to know his will ; 
and who claim to have a desire to honor his 
name, but teach doctrines which tend to make 
void his law. .They teach sinners that salva- 
tion from their sins and salvation in heaven is 
obtained by faith only. They make member- 
ship in the church of Christ non-essential to 
salvation, thereby virtually making* void the 



230 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

only divinely appointed institution on earth re- 
vealed to man, in which he can acceptably com- 
ply with all Christian duties required of the 
followers of Christ, as revealed in his gospel. 
"It is time for thee, Lord, to work : for they 
have made void th} T law." Ps. cxix : 126. 

A person may have a hope of salvation predi- 
cated upon a false theory, yet it is a hope with- 
out a promise. This being" true, it is also a 
hope without a reason. But the hope that rests 
upon the promise of God is reached by entering 
his church in obedience to the law of adoption. 
Hence all who enter the fold of Christ should 
do so fully trusting in the word of God. They 
should not allow any one to move them from 
their hope in the promises of God through the 
g*ospel. Remember that God established one, 
and only one church on earth ; that Christ is 
the head of this church ; that remission of sins 
through the atoning power of his blood is in 
this church ; that this church is entered by 
obeying from the heart the form of doctrine 
delivered to sinners by the apostles, by which 
they are freed from sin ; that the salvation 
of sinners through the blood of Christ is made 
to depend upon obedience to this form of doc- 
trine ; that it is God's order, and that man is 
not authorized to revoke it. Paul said, "But 
though we, or an angel from heaven, preach 



HOPE OP THE CHRISTIAN. 231 

any other g-ospel unto you than that which we 
have preached unto you, let him be accursed." 
Gal. i: 8. " But I certify vou, brethren, that 
the gospel which was preached of me is not 
after man. For I neither received it of man, 
neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of 
Jesus Christ." 11th and 12th verses. 

Brethren, let us all stand fast in the faith of 
God, earnestly striving- to do all that he re- 
quires, "and be not moved away from the gos- 
pel." Let us all strive to love one another as 
we are directed by the Father. Let us not set 
at naught a brother because of some error into 
which he may be led, but let us entreat him as 
a brother. We understand that a brother in 
error should be reproved, but it should ever be 
done in the spirit of love. 

Judge not a brother. This matter belongs 
to the Lord. "But why dost thou judge thy 
brother? or why dost thou set at naught thy 
brother? for we shall all stand before the judg- 
ment seat of Christ." Rom. xiv : 10. "So 
then every one of us shall give account of him- 
self to God." 12th verse. 

"But," says one, "how can I love a brother 
who will persist in teaching and practicing 
error? We answer, how can any one expect 
God to love him, if he rejects his brother, be- 
cause he may have imbibed some error, or may 



232 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

be overcome by some fault or evil. Convince 
your brother of his fault, and he will, doubt- 
less, thank you for your kindness. But if in 
your efforts, you fail to convince him of error, 
examine yourself, for it may r be that a part of 
the error exists with you. Remember that the 
only true way to settle any difficulty existing* 
among* the brethren, is by the directions of 
God's divine law, which works by love. "He 
that saith he is in the ligfht, and hateth his 
brother, is in darkness even until now. He 
that loveth his brother abideth in the lig"ht, and 
there is none occasion of stumbling in him." 
1 John ii : 9, 10. Hence to love our brother is 
evidence that we abide in the ligvht which shews 
unto us our own faults as well as those of our 
brother, and leads us to the blood of Jesus that 
we may be cleansed from our sins. 

"But if we walk in the light, as he is in the 
lig'ht, we have fellowship one with another, and 
the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us 
from all sin." 1 John i: 7. What a gdorious 
promise to all of God's children who walk in 
the lig"ht, upon which to predicate their hope 
of eternal salvation ! All are liable to err 
througm the weakness of the flesh, but confes- 
sion of sins is obedience to God's law. 

"And you that were sometime alienated and 
enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now 



HOPE OE THE CHRISTIAN. 233 

hath he reconciled, in the body of his flesh 
through death, to present you holy, and un- 
blameable, and unreproveable, in his sight : If ye 
continue in the faith grounded and settled, and 
be not moved away from the hope of the gos- 
pel, which ye have heard, and which was 
preached to every creature which is under 
heaven ; whereof I Paul am made a minister ; 
Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and 
fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of 
Christ in my flesh for his body's' sake, which is 
the church. " Col. i: 21-24. ' 

The hope of the gospel is predicated upon the 
faith of the gospel. The faith of the gospel is 
the faith that leads sinners to the mercv seat of 
God, which mercy seat is approached by enter- 
ing the door of his church by a new and living 
way, consecrated for all his adopted children. 

"Having therefore, brethren, boldness to en- 
ter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a 
new and living way, which he hath consecrated 
for us, through the vail, that is to say, his flesh ; 
And having- a high priest over the house of God; 
Let us draw near with a true heart, in full as- 
surance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled 
from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed 
with pure water. Let us hold fast the profes- 
sion of our faith without wavering ; for he is 
faithful that promised." Heb. x: 19-23. 



CHAPTER XXI. 



THE FINAL JUDGMENT. 

'"And as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this 
the judgment." — Heb. ix : 27. 

FROM this we understand that all must ap- 
pear before God in judgment, and give ac- 
count of themselves ; ' ' for we shall all stand be- 
fore the judgment-seat of Christ. For it is 
written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee 
shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess 
to God. So then every one of us shall give ac- 
count of himself to God." See Rom. xiv: 10-12. 
Then, how important that all be prepared to 
meet God. We should ever bear in mind that 
we must meet God in judgment whether pre- 
pared or unprepared. All who are prepared 
will be received into everlasting life, for they 
are those who have not defiled their garments, 
and are accounted worthy. All who are not 
prepared will be banished ' ' from the presence 
of the Lord, and from the glory of his power." 

How are persons to be judged in the last day ? 

Jesus said : "He that rejecteth me, and re- 
ceiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth 
234 



THE FINAL JUDGMENT. 235 

him, the word that I have spoken, the same 
shall judge him in the last day." John xii: 48. 
But the words of Jesus are found recorded in 
his gospel ; hence all who reject Christ and re- 
fuse to receive his gospel, will be judged by the 
gospel. Then how important that all beings 
who are accountable to God for their acts, 
study his revealed will to them, by which they 
are to be judg*ed in the last day. Yet there 
are many who spend their lives in pursuit of 
the pleasures and profits pertaining to this life 
only, seeking the wisdom of this world to the 
exclusion of the wisdom of God revealed unto 
them, by which to be led into everlasting pos- 
sessions in God's mansions of eternal glory. 

The gospel of Christ is the power of God 
unto salvation, and by it will humanity be 
judged at the last day. By it the rig*hteous 
will stand and the wicked will fall. Who are 
the righteous? We answer, they are those who 
strive to enter in at the strait gate. They 
are those who strive to know and obey the will 
of God. They refuse to follow the dictates of 
man. They are the friends of God, who earn- 
estly contend for the faith of God. When they 
are overtaken in a fault they confess their 
faults, and the blood of Jesus cleanses them 
from all unrighteousness, for they have come 
to the place in which they reach the atoning 



236 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

power of his blood. "But ye are come unto 
Mount Sion, and unto the city of the living* 
God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innu- 
merable company of ang-els, to the general as- 
sembly and church of the hrst born, which are 
written in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, 
and to the spirits of just men made perfect, 
and to Jesus, the mediator of the new covenant, 
and to the blood of sprinkling - , that speaketh bet- 
ter thing's than that of Abel." Heb. xii: 22-24. 

But we learn that judg*ment will first beg*in 
at the house of God. "For the time is come 
that judgement must beg*in at the house of 
God : and if it first beg-in at us, what shall the 
end be of them that obey not the g*ospel of God? 
1 Pet. iv: 17. Hence, all who enter into the 
church of God should strive to avoid anything* 
that may tend to evil. Evil in the heart is the 
source of willful sin, and we understand willful 
sin to be sin unto death. See 1 John v: 16. 

"Wherefore g*ird up the loins of your mind, 
be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that 
is to be broug'ht unto you at the revelation of 
Jesus Christ : as obedient children, not fashion- 
ing* yourselves according* to the former lusts in 
your ig*norance : but as he which hath called 
you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of con- 
versation ; because it is written, Be ye holy, for 
Iamholv." 1 Pet. i: 13-16. 



THE FINAL JUDGMENT. 237 

In view of the foregoing' testimony on this 
subject, it is evident that sinners are required 
by the gospel of Christ to become heirs of God 
in obedience to the law of spiritual adoption, 
and follow after righteousness, in order to re- 
ceive the promise of the Father in the last day. 
This is the order of the Holy Spirit. To obey 
the order of the Holy Spirit, as revealed in the 
gospel of Christ, secures the promises of God 
made known by his Spirit. Hence the Spirit 
operates upon the heart of the sinner through 
the teachings of the gospel, hj which they are 
to be judg'ed in the last day. 

We are unacquainted with any people claim- 
ing to be worshipers of God, who deny God's 
power to operate upon the heart of the sinner 
throug\h his Spirit independent of the gospel of 
Christ as revealed to man, by which the recip- 
ient of such operation is converted to God by a 
change of heart and the remission of sins.' 
Yet we have no authority to say that he does 
so, beyond that of man, as we have failed to 
find any divine statement revealing this to be a 
fact. While many claim that they have re- 
ceived such an operation upon their hearts, yet 
the only evidence they offer in support of their 
claim is their feeling, which is produced by be- 
lieving that God, for Christ's sake, has par- 
doned their sins. There are others who be- 



238 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

lieve that God, for Christ's sake, has pardoned 
their sins in obedience to the gospel through 
faith, yet the advocates of the above theory will 
not accept the evidence given by this class of 
persons for their acceptance with God, because 
they add obedience to their faith. How strange ! 
If a person should invest all his earthly means 
of support in any enterprise, depending upon 
his feelings for a future reward of prosperity, 
it would, doubtless, be pronounced a very un- 
wise act by his friends. But he may risk the 
salvation of his soul upon his feelings, and be 
pronounced one of the wisest persons of the age. 
How strange that men and women will neglect 
to read the word of God for themselves, and 
allow others to lead them into such delusions ! 

Although the word of God plainly teaches that 
sinners are begotten of God by the Spirit through 
the gospel, and not one sentence supporting 
the theory of salvation from sin by a direct op- 
eration of the Spirit independent of the gospel 
of Christ, as taught by some, yet many predi- 
cate their hope of salvation upon faith in that 
which cannot be sustained by divine teachings. 

We are fully justified in stating that the 
Spirit of God will not perform any operation 
upon any person contrary to what he has re- 
vealed to man by the gospel. And as the gos- 
pel plainly teaches that the heart is purified by 



THE FINAL JUDGMENT. 239 

faith, and the soul is purified in obeying- the 
truth, we are forced to decide that the Holy 
Spirit does not save sinners independent of 
faith in, and obedience to, the gospel of Christ. 
In view of this fact, it is evident that when a 
person is made to believe that the Holy Spirit 
has wroug-ht a work upon his heart and soul to 
the extent of his eternal salvation, independent 
of obedience to the law of spiritual adoption, as 
revealed in the g-ospel of Christ, it is his im- 
perative duty to yield implicitly to the teach- 
ings of the Holy Spirit, althougfh he may have 
to surrender a most wholesome doctrine and 
full of comfort to all who have imbibed it. 

To depend upon something- not revealed by 
the Holy Spirit for salvation, is extremely 
dang-erous. To wholly rely upon what has 
been revealed by the Holy Spirit, is infallibly 
safe. We therefore say to all who desire the 
operation of the Spirit, do what he has told 
you to do by the g-ospel of Christ, and he will 
perform all that he has promised. Obey the 
spiritual law of adoption, by which you will be 
made an heir of God and a joint heir with 
Christ. Follow after rig-hteousness as the 
Holy Spirit has directed, and you will receive 
the blessing- of everlasting- life at the last day. 

Kind reader, if you have been adopted into 
the family of God, stand fast in the faith of 



240 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

the gospel of Christ, relying- upon the promises 
of God, made sure to all his faithful children. 
But if you have not obe\ T ed the law of adoption, 
by which to become an heir of God, obey the 
teaching's of his Spirit, and you will be enabled 
to cry Holy Father, throug'h faith in his prom- 
ises. If you desire to obey God, do so in his 
own appointed way. If you desire to work 
rig'hteousness, be added to the body of Christ, 
which is the church, and you will have the 
promise of the blessing's of God to sustain you 
in your work. And if you hold out faithful 
unto the end he will bestow the blessing's prom- 
ised. You may be accused of denying* the op- 
eration of the Spirit because you do not believe 
that he has converted you in a manner that he 
has not promised. Follow the directions of the 
Holy Spirit, and you will find yourself on the 
Lord's side in the last day. Fear not what 
man may say or do, but earnestly contend for 
the faith of the g-ospel regardless of the devices 
of man. Jesus, when instructing the twelve 
apostles, said: "What I tell you in darkness, 
that speak ye in light : and what ye hear in the 
ear, that preach ye upon the house-tops. And 
fear not them which kill the body, but are not 
able to kill the soul : but rather fear him which 
is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. 
Matt, x: 27, 28. 



THE FINAL JUDGMENT. 241 

But it may be argued by some that they are 
not good enough to obey God acceptably. A 
very inconsistent argument indeed. You can- 
not reasonably expect to become any better by 
refusing to obey him. If you have honesty and 
goodness enough in your heart to desire to serve 
God in his own appointed way, by receiving his 
word as revealed in the gospel of Christ into 
the heart, and keeping it, you are good enough 
to serve God acceptably. "But that on the 
good ground are they, which in an honest and 
good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and 
bring forth fruit with patience." See parable 
of the sower. Luke viii. 

When the Pharisees asked the disciples of 
Jesus, "Why eateth your Master with pub- 
licans and sinners ? ' ' Jesus taught them that he 
did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, 
to repentance. See Matt, ix: 11-13. It is 
therefore evident that sinners are required to 
obey the gospel, by which they are made free 
from sin, and have their fruit unto holiness, 
and the end everlasting life. 
16 



CHAPTER XXII. 



CONCLUSION. 

WHILE much has been said and written with 
reference to God's having - a chosen and 
peculiar people, chosen unto salvation through 
the foreknowledge, wisdom and decrees of God, 
and while we understand the divine teaching's 
to fully sustain the fact that such a people 
exists, it is, nevertheless, true that the minds 
of many are quite confused on this subject, sim- 
ply from the fact that they refuse to study the 
word of God for themselves, depending- upon 
others to direct their steps. It is evident that 
such a people exists, from the following - : "But 
ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, 
a holy nation, a peculiar people ; that ye should 
shew forth the praises of him who hath called 
you out of darkness into his marvelous ligfht : 
Which in time past were not a people, but are 
now the people of God : which had not obtained 
mercy, but now have obtained mercy." 1 
Peter ii : 9, 10. 

We presume it will not be denied that the 
Jews were God's chosen people until the estab- 
242 



CONCLUSION. 243 

lishment of the gospel dispensation, and that 
the above statements of the apostle were ad- 
dressed to the Gentile brethren under the dis- 
pensation of the gospel of Christ. It is, there- 
fore, evident that under the gospel of Christ, God 
has a chosen people among the Gentiles as well 
as among* the Jews. Hence the difficulty arises, 
not respecting the fact that God has a chosen 
people, but from the fact that many differ re- 
specting the manner in which they are chosen. 
While some may argue that a person becomes 
one of God's chosen people independent of any 
act of the creature, either from the foundation 
of the world, or at some other time by a direct 
operation of the Holy Spirit, and others deny 
the above, it is quite plain that the only way to 
decide this matter is to appeal to the teachings 
of the divine standard. 

Now to the question : How are God's people 
chosen? In the first chapter of Peter's first 
epistle, 2nd verse, we have the following : 
"Elect according to the foreknowledge of God 
the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit 
unto obedience and sprinkling" of the blood of 
Jesus Christ." The 5th and 10th verses read 
thus: "Who are kept b} T the power of God 
through faith unto salvation, ready to be re- 
vealed in the last time. Of which salvation the 
prophets have inquired and searched diligently, 



244 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

who prophesied of the grace that should come 
unto you." But as the grace of God that 
broug-ht salvation, to which the apostle refers 
in the 10th verse above, is made known by, and 
includes the gospel, and as God's chosen 
people are kept by his power through faith unto 
salvation, as shown by the 5th verse, which 
power is the gospel of Christ, we decide that 
God's people are chosen through the same 
power by which they are kept. This is evident 
from the teaching- of the 2nd verse from which 
we learn that they are chosen according- to the 
foreknowledg-e of God, throug-h sanctification 
or holiness of the Spirit unto obedience, which 
obedience is to the gospel evidently. Hence 
God's people are chosen throug-h obedience to 
the g-ospel of Christ. 

Viewing- the subject in this light, the above 
scriptures are made clear to the mind ; for God 
by his grace devised a way of salvation and sent 
the Holy Spirit to direct sinners into this way, 
by directions of holiness revealed by the gospel 
of Christ, obedience to which is made accepta- 
ble through faith unto salvation. 

That the Holy Spirit did give directions b}^ 
which persons could become God's chosen peo- 
ple, and that the gospel of Christ includes the 
directions is quite evident ; for when the 
prophets inquired of, and searched diligently 



CONCLUSION. 245 

for facts relating- to those directions, and proph- 
esied of the same, they did so, "searching" 
what, or what manner of time the Spirit of 
Christ which was in them did signify, when it 
testified beforehand the suffering's of Christ, 
and the glory that should follow. Unto whom 
it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but 
unto us they did minister the things which are 
now reported unto you by them that have 
preached the gospel unto you, which the Holy 
Ghost sent down from heaven." See 11th and 
12th verses. 

This divine truth is further shown by the fol- 
lowing : ' ' But we are bound to give thanks 
always to God for you, brethren beloved of the 
Lord, because God hath from the beginning 
chosen you to salvation, through sanctification 
of the Spirit, and belief of the truth : Where- 
unto he called you by our gospel, to the obtain- 
ing of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." 2 
Thess. ii : 13, 14. From the above it may be 
readily understood that the direction of the 
Spirit includes all who will accept the call by 
the gospel, by which they became God's chosen 
and peculiar people, and all who refuse to ac- 
cept the call as revealed in the gospel of Christ 
fail to become such a people. It is therefore 
quite evident that all who enter the fold or 
church of Christ by the directions of his gospel 



246 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

become the chosen people of God, and all who 
refuse to enter this fold in obedience to the law 
of spiritual adoption cannot consistently claim 
to be members of the family composed of God's 
chosen people. The promise of eternal salva- 
tion is reached by all sinners in obedience to the 
form of doctrine delivered them by which they are 
freed from sin and become the servants of right- 
eousness, or the chosen of God — chosen through 
faith perfected unto salvation by works, not of 
man but of God. 

From the scriptural evidence adduced in the 
foregoing - articles, we arrive at the following* 
conclusions : 

1. That the law of Moses could not g-ive life; 
" for if there had been a law g-iven which could 
have gfiven life, verily righteousness would have 
been by the law." It needed the righteousness 
of Christ to make obedience to this law accept- 
able unto salvation. 

2. That the law of Moses was taken out of 
the way and a perfect law of liberty was g-iven, 
obedience to which could g-ive life, for obedience 
to this law is made acceptable unto savation by 
the intercession of Christ. All of God's peo- 
ple who worshiped under the law of Moses, and 
who died before it was taken out of the way, 
died under the curse of it, but were redeemed 
from under this curse by the intercession oi 



CONCLUSION. 247 

Christ when he took it out of the way, nailing- 
it to his cross. All who were living at the time 
of the establishment of his church were also re- 
deemed from this curse, and required to obey 
the gospel. 

3. That Christ purchased his church with his 
own blood, which atones for all who enter into 
this fold. 

4. That this fold is entered only through obe- 
dience to the law of adoption. 

5. That the gospel "is the power of God unto 
salvation to everyone that believeth," and con- 
tains the perfect law of liberty in which all of 
God's people are required to stand fast. 

6. That the gospel is the grace of God that 
brought salvation to all men. Hence when 
persons live in a manner that their daily walk 
through life is sustained by the gospel of Christ, 
they are sustained by the power and grace of 
God. 

But we may be told that we teach only a form 
of godliness. In reply we would say, that 
while we teach a form of godliness, we do not 
deny the power thereof. The great beauty and 
sublimity of true godliness is, the form is always 
attended by the power. To claim to have god- 
liness without form is like faith without works. 
It is dead. James said, "shew me thy faith 
without thy works, and I will shew thee my 



248 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

faith by my works." See James ii : 18. The 
same may be said with reference to the power 
and form of godliness. Obedience to the form 
is that part of salvation which belongs to man. 
The power is of God. When man obeys the 
form, God applies the power. 

For the benefit of some, it ma}^ be proper to 
state that the g'ospel is not composed of paper 
and ink, but is composed of divine facts revealed 
to man by the Holy Spirit, including- commands 
to be obeyed, and "exceeding- great and pre- 
cious promises" to be enjoyed, which facts are 
made sure and steadfast by the promise of God 
throug-h the death buria 1 and resurrection of 
Christ, and may be found recorded upon paper 
for the benefit of mankind. 

7. That pure religion is something- done for 
the Lord, not something- felt from the Lord. 
Feeling-s follow as a result. When a person 
obeys from the heart the form of doctrine deliv- 
ered him by the g-ospel of Christ, visits the 
fatherless and widows in their affliction, and 
keeps himself unspotted from the world, he 
feels happy because he has cbeyed his heavenly 
Father. 

8. That we know we have passed from death 
unto life, because we love the brethren. He 
that loveth not his brother abideth in death. 
Whosoever hateth his brother, is a murderer : 



CONCLUSION. 249 

and ye know that no murderer hath eternal life 
abiding* in him." 1 John iii : 14, 15. 

Who are the brethren ? It will not do to say 
that it is only those who are free from error. 
The apostles recognized as brethren, those who 
had imbibed error. They often reprove such 
brethren, yet they loved them. All had been 
adopted into the same family. Kach wore the 
same name by which to be known as one of the 
family of God. Hence our brother is known by 
his spiritual adoption and by the name he wears. 
We therefore conclude that all of God's adopted 
children should wear the same name by which 
to be known as his children, that they may be 
able to recognize each other, and be recognized 
by the Father. 

9. That we should not be ashamed of the gos- 
pel of Christ : for it is the power of God unto 
salvation to every one that believeth ; to the Jew 
first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the 
righteousness of God revealed from faith to 
faith : as it is written, the just shall live by 
faith. For the wrath of God is revealed from 
heaven against all ungodliness, and unright- 
eousness of men who hold the truth in unright- 
eousness." 

Come now and let us reason together, saith 
the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they 
shall be as white as snow ; though they be red 



250 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

like crimson, thev shall be as wool. If ve be 
willing- and obedient, ye shall eat the good of 
the land : But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall 
be devoured with the sword : for the mouth of 
the Lord hath spoken it." Isa. i: 18-20. 
"And as he reasoned of righteousness, temper- 
ance, and judg-ment to come, Felix trembled, 
and answered, Go thy way for this time ; 
when I have a convenient season I will call for 
thee." Acts xxiv : 25. . 

From the above testimony, we decide that 
the rig-hteousness of God is a divine revelation 
to man throug-h the g-ospel of Christ, and is 
adapted to his comprehension. This being- 
true, it is evident that persons should confine 
themselves to reason and the revelation of God 
when speaking- with reference to Christianity. 
Hence we conclude that the rig-hteousness which 
may be felt, but cannot be told, is not the rig-ht- 
eousness of which God and the apostles of Christ 
reasoned. 

When we hear a person teaching sinners that 
they are totally depraved, that they are not re- 
quired to perform any g-ood act or deed by 
which to reach the atoning- blood of Christ, 
that such an effort on their part is an insult to 
God — and then insist that they must repent 
and seek God in prayer in order to reach his 
mercy throug-h the blood of Christ, we conclude 



CONCLUSION. 251 

that such doctrine is false. For it is contrar} T 
to reason and the revelation of God as revealed 
in his gospel. 

When we hear a person teach that God holds 
all his people accountable to him for the 
manner in which they conduct themselves 
through life, for their influence in their walks 
and teaching-s, that they will receive a just re- 
compense of reward for their transgressions 
and disobedience — and then teach that they are 
safe, that they can never fall, for once in g*race 
always in grace, hence will be admitted into 
everlasting - life with the reception, "well done 
thou gx>od and faithful servant," we conclude 
that error exists along- this line somewhere. 
For such doctrines in connection, are contrar} T 
to reason and the revelation of God. They 
have the tendency to cause many to reject the 
truth of the first, and accept the falsity of the 
second, by which they are led to believe that 
they may sin ag'ainst God with impunity. 

Reason and the revelation of God teach that 
man is required to obey God ; that if man re- 
fuses to obey him, he will reap the wag-es of 
sin, which is death ; that God in his wisdom 
and mercy, established one kingdom or church 
on earth, and required sinners to repent, and 
enter this church by obeying" the form of doc- 
trine delivered them througfh the gospel of 



252 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

Christ, by which they would be freed from sin, 
and become the servants of righteousness. 

Reason and the revelation of God teach 
that false teachers would arise teaching - for 
doctrine the commandments of men, and that 
many would follow their pernicious ways. See 
2 Peter ii : 1-3. 

Righteousness which cannot be sustained by 
reason and the revelation of God as found in 
the gospel of Christ, is not the righteousness 
that will lead sinners into his fold. 

Reason and the revelation of God teach, 
that the church of God which cost the blood of 
Jesus, is better than any humanly devised order 
that cost only the ingenuity of man. Such 
orders rob the church of the glory that belongs 
to it. B} T exalting" such orders, the church is 
debased. 

Baptism for [in order to] the remission of 
sins is the chief point of attack by those who 
advocate the doctrine of salvation by faith only, 
when contending for their theory. That bap- 
tism is one of the divinely appointed means by 
which the sinner is led to the only place that 
God promises to pardon sins, cannot be refuted 
by consistent argument. Yet there are many 
who claim, and doubtless believe, that they are 
divinely called, teaching" persons that baptism 
is not essential to salvation. They, by their 



CONCLUSION. 253 

doctrines, virtually teach that God commands 
men and women to enter his church by being* 
baptized, but it is not necessary to obey him ; 
that they can be saved without obeying- this 
command of God as well as to obey it, thereby 
setting up the wisdom and devices of man in- 
stead of the wisdom of God. There are many 
of the above class who have spent their lives 
in searching- for the wisdom of this world to 
the exclusion of the wisdom of God ; and in so 
doing-, they have been led to ig-nore many plain 
literal statements as found revealed in the 
teaching's of God's word, because it does not 
suit their liberal feeling-s, hence they resort to 
other means more liberal. 

Now it is evident that it is the duty of all 
accountable being's to God to study his revealed 
will for themselves, that they may know the 
truth with reference to their eternal salvation. 
But we may be told that all cannot understand 
the holy scriptures as they are revealed to man 
alike. While this maybe believed by some, yet 
all who believe that a sinner is saved from his 
sins without being* baptized, can readily see 
that the Apostle Peter taught that baptism saves 
us, but all do not accept it. They can see the 
statement of Ananias when he said to Paul, 
"And now why tarriest thou? arise, and be 
baptized, and wash away thy sins, calling- on 



254 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

the name of the Lord," }^et they refuse to ac- 
cept it because it is contrary to the teaching's 
they have imbibed. 

But it is arg-ued by some, that if baptism is 
essential to the salvation of sinners, it makes 
their salvation depend upon their own acts. 
Hence they decide that baptism is not essential 
to salvation, although the revealed will of God 
teaches from the first of Genesis to the last of 
Revelation that the eternal salvation of sinful 
man is made to depend in part upon his own 
acts. It is plain that obedience to God's law is 
required of all to whom law is g-iven. 

The whole conclusion of this matter is, that 
many persons read what God has revealed to 
poor sinful man with reference to his salvation, 
and understand it, but do not accept it. Hence 
we find many teachers, wise above that which 
is written by the Holy Spirit, teaching- for doc- 
trines the commandments of men, deceiving- 
many because they refuse to read for themselves 
believe for themselves, and obey God rather 
than man. When we hear persons arg-uing- that 
sinners are totally depraved ; that sinners are 
saved by faith only ; that the g*ospel of Christ 
is a dead letter ; and that baptism and the 
church of Christ are non-essential to salvation, 
we are led to decide that if they have studied 
the word of God, they have studied it in vain. 



CONCLUSION. 255 

The word of God may be read for different 
purposes. 

1. It may be read in order to know just what 
God has revealed to man, and to know what he 
requires man to do. This is the purpose for 
which all should study his revealed will. 

2. It may be read in order to find contradic- 
tory statements by which to condemn it. All 
who possess a heart of rebellion ag'ainst the 
God who preserves their lives, claim to find 
sufficient evidence in this direction to satisfy 
their unholy desires. 

3. It may be read in order to have the name 
of being - a Bible reader. One person may 
decide to read a chapter once a week, or once a 
day. He can then claim to be a Bible reader. 
Another can decide to read a chapter each day 
until he reads all the Bible. After he com- 
pletes his task, he can say that he has read 
through the Bible. The fault in pursuing* such 
a course is not in the stated time of reading-, 
nor in the amount read at each stated time, but 
it is in the purpose for which it is read. A 
person reading- for this purpose is not apt to 
receive much benefit. If he is in error on any 
subject pertaining- to divine teaching's, he is not 
so apt to detect it as when reading- for the pur- 
pose of learning- what is taug-ht. And if he 
should read some statement conveying- to his 



256 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

mind a contradiction of his belief on any sub- 
ject, he would not be apt to give it much serious 
thoug-ht, but simply pass it by as a non-essen- 
tial matter. 

4. It may be read in order to bend its teach- 
ing - to the support of some false theory. Such 
work is perversion of God's word, and is liable 
to deceive many who neglect to study his word 
for themselves. All persons who read the Bible 
should do so with a desire to know what it 
teaches, and with a desire to obey all that is 
made binding upon them, regardless of any pre- 
possessed theory or notion to the contrary. 

Heaven is the dwelling"-place of God, Jesus, 
his onl}^ begotten Son, and the holy ang-els. It 
is the future and everlasting* home of all who 
shall be accounted worthy at the last day. 
"After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, 
which no man could number, of all nations, and 
kindreds, and people, and tong-ues, stood before 
the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with 
white robes, and palms in their hands ; and cried 
with a loud voice, saying-, Salvation to our God 
which sitteth upon the throne, and unto the 
Ivanib And one of the elders an- 
swered, saying - unto me, What are these which 
are arrayed in white robes? and whence came 
they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. 
And he said to me, These are they which came 



CONCLUSION. 257 

out of great tribulation, and have washed their 
robes, and made them white in the blood of the 
Lamb." Rev. vii: 9-14. 

Heaven is the new Jerusalem which is above, 
and is the mother of all who compose the body 
of the church that cost the blood of Christ. 
"But Jerusalem which is above is free, which 
is the mother of us all." Gal. iv: 26. 

They have been delivered from the power of 
Satan, and made heirs of God in obeying* the 
law of spiritual adoption. Hence, we say to 
all inquirers into the way of salvation, obey this 
law and trust in God for the fulfillment of his 
promises. Salvation from sin is free to all who 
are willing - to accept it upon the terms of the 
gfospel, and we have no promise of salvation 
upon any other terms. 

It may be arg*ued that God in his mercy will 
save all who worship him according* to the dic- 
tates of their conscience. The dictates of man's 
conscience caused King* Saul to lose his king*- 
dom and life. The dictates of man's conscience 
caused Saul of Tarsus to persecute the church 
of God, by which he was made the chief of sin- 
ners. But obedience to the dictates of God's 
word will lead poor sinners into the fold of 
Christ. 

All Christians who have the privilege of wor- 
shiping God according* to the dictates of their 
17 



258 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

own conscience should be thankful to God for 
this great blessing - , for such a privilege neces- 
sarily secures the rigfht to worship him accord- 
ing- to the dictates of his divine will, which is 
the only worship that he has promised to accept. 

We ma} 7 be told that all God's children should 
have a feeling* sense of pardon. This is true ; 
yet they should not depend upon this feeling* as 
evidence of their acceptance with God. As we 
have stated, feeling's are the result of faith. 
When a person believes a thing" to be true, he 
feels like it is true although it may be false. 
The only true evidence that any one can give 
for his acceptance with God is to know that 
he has done that which is required for such ac- 
ceptance. This is the only true reason that he 
can give for the hope that is in him. "But 
sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and be 
ready always to give an answer to every man 
that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in 
you with meekness and fear." 

The way of salvation may be treated in a 
manner which would create confusion in the 
minds of those who stand in need of information 
on this subject. They may be led to possess 
a feeling* of contentment and rejoicing" in a hope 
of eternal life predicated upon faith in a false 
theory, and may be made to believe that such a 
feeling" is "heart-felt religion." They maybe 



CONCLUSION. 259 

made to believe that this feeling - is produced by 
the Holy Spirit as evidence that they are made 
heirs of God through Christ. While true faith, 
upon which true hope is predicated, comes by 
hearing" the teaching's of the Holy Spirit, they 
should not forget that they are commanded to 
"try the spirits whether they are of God: be- 
cause many false prophets are gone out into the 
world." The Spirit of truth teaches that per- 
sons are begotten through the gospel. See 1 
Cor. iv: 15. The Spirit of truth teaches that 
persons are saved in Christ (not out of him) ; 
that sinners are baptized into Christ, and are 
then made free from sin and become the serv- 
ants of righteousness. 

In view of these facts, it is quite evident that 
pure religion is very easily explained. When 
the servant of righteousness complies with the 
will of his heavenly Father, he has the witness 
within that he has performed that which is 
called by the gospel of Christ " pure religion 
and undefiled before God and the Father." 
Hence, he is made to rejoice through faith made 
perfect by works. This being true, we decide 
that the religion of the gospel of Christ may 
be told rather than felt. 

We now say to all who have entered into the 
fold of Christ, let us earnestly strive to do the 
will of our heavenly Father. Let us work, that 



260 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

we may be able to enter into that rest that re- 
mains to the people of God, abiding- in the hope 
of the promise set before us. Let us look to 
the many examples of the mercy of God in the 
fulfillment of promises made to his people when 
they conferred not with flesh and blood, but 
yielded to the dictates of his will. Let us look 
to the severity of God in withholding- his bless- 
ings when they refused to obey his law and fol- 
lowed after the dictates of man. "Let us lay 
aside every weig-ht, and the sin which doth so 
easily beset us, and let us run with patience 
the race that is set before us, looking- unto 
Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith ; who, 
for the joy that was set before him, endured 
the cross, despising* the shame, and is set down 
at the rig-ht hand of the throne of God." 

We sa} T to all Christians, refuse to wear any 
humanly devised name by which to be known 
as followers of Christ. If you should be called 
a heretic for so doing, remember that a bless- 
ing awaits } T ou for suffering- as a Christian. If 
you are nicknamed by the enemies of your faith, 
it will not hurt you. God will decide this mat- 
ter in the great da} T to come. Work in the 
name and in the way that you will be the de- 
light of the Lord, remembering that his prom- 
ises are sure and steadfast — that "there re- 
maineth therefore a rest to the people of God." 



CONCLUSION. 261 

Throughout our investigations, we have en- 
deavored to place before the mind of the 
reader the way of salvation from sin as it is re- 
vealed in the word of God. In our manner of 
investigating- this subject, we have endeavored 
to induce all who desire eternal salvation to 
wholly' depend upon the means that God in his 
mercy has revealed to them through the gospel 
of Christ. A proper investigation of this sub- 
ject readily shows that harmony exists with 
reference to the teachings of the word of God 
as revealed to man, when properly applied. It 
does not degrade the church of God by making 
it a non-essential order, but exalts it as God 
intended it should be exalted. It honors God 
by accepting salvation through his church, the 
divinely appointed means through which salva- 
tion is bestowed. It honors Jesus, the high 
priest, by accepting salvation through the 
church of God, which he purchased with his 
own blood, thereby accepting his blood as an 
offering for sin. 

The position maintained in the foregoing in- 
vestigations is in harmony with all the teach- 
ings of the word of God on the subject of sal- 
vation by grace, by faith, by the blood of Christ, 
by works, and by prayer, which are all Bible 
doctrines. Hence, we can say, as did Paul, 
" For by grace are ye saved, through faith ; and 



262 THE WAY OF SALVATION. 

that not of yourselves ; it is the gift of God : 
not of works, lest any man should boast. For 
we are his workmanship, created in Christ 
Jesus unto good works, which God hath before 
ordained that we should walk in them." We 
can also say, as did James, " Ye see then how 
that by works a man is justified, and not by 
faith only." 

We now close our investigations, trusting 
that they may not be in vain, but that they may 
prove to be a benefit by leading some poor wan- 
derer from under the power of darkness into 
the marvelous light of the gospel of peace, and 
that they may strengthen the courage of others 
who have entered the fold of Christ and stand 
in need of strength to battle against the sins 
of the flesh. 

"Now the God of peace, who brought again 
from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great Shep- 
herd of the sheep, through the blood of the 
everlasting covenant, make you perfect in every 
good work, to do his will, working in you that 
which is well-pleasing in his sight, through 
Jesus Christ ; to whom be glory for ever and 
ever. Amen." 




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